Sec. 15.14.03.02. Sanitation Practices

A. The animal facility shall be kept clean. A regular schedule of sanitary maintenance is necessary, including the elimination of wastes.

B. Animal rooms, corridors, storage areas, and other parts of the animal facility shall be washed, scrubbed, vacuumed, mopped, or swept as often as necessary, using appropriate detergents and disinfectants to keep them free of dirt, debris, and harmful contamination. A continuing objective shall be to keep these areas neat and uncluttered.

C. If litter or bedding such as paper is used in animal cages or pens, it shall be changed as often as necessary to keep the animals dry and clean and to minimize offensive odors.

D. Cages or pens from which animal waste is removed by hosing or flushing shall be cleaned and suitably disinfected one or more times daily. This system requires removal of the animals from cages during servicing in order to keep them dry.

E. Animal cages, racks, and accessory equipment, such as feeders and water utensils, shall be washed and sanitized as often as necessary to keep them physically clean and free from contamination. In addition, cages should always be sanitized before new animals are placed in them. Sanitizing may be accomplished either by washing all soiled surfaces with a cleaning agent having an effective bactericidal action or with live steam or the equivalent thereof.

F. Waste containers and implements shall be maintained in sanitary condition.

G. A veterinarian shall handle, treat, and dispose of medical wastes (including, but not limited to, carcasses, anatomical body parts, excretions, blood-soiled articles, bedding, and sharps) that are generated from an animal that the veterinarian knows, or has reason to know, has a disease that is capable of being transmitted to humans, in accordance with COMAR 26.13.11 and COMAR 10.06.06.

H. A veterinarian shall handle waste materials that are generated from an animal that does not have a disease transmissible to humans as provided under this section:

(1) Sharps, including but not limited to syringes, needles, and surgical instruments, shall be placed in a rigid, tightly lidded container that is impervious to puncture. Before disposing of this container, it shall be placed in a leak-proof plastic sack or plastic-lined paper bag.

(2) Animal tissues, including blood if it is in liquid form, shall be disposed of as provided under §H(3) or placed in one of the following:

(a) Sanitary sewer if allowed under any local ordinance or regulation and the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(b) Leak-proof disposable container, such as a plastic sack or a plastic-lined paper bag. Before disposing of this container, it shall be placed in a rigid, opaque container.

(3) Animal Carcasses.

(a) Except as provided under §H(3)(b), an animal carcass shall be disposed of promptly by one of the following methods:

(i) Release to the owner;

(ii) Burial;

(iii) Cremation;

(iv) Incineration;

(v) Disposal through the rendering process; or

(vi) If permitted by local ordinance, placed in a public landfill.

(b) If prompt disposal of an animal carcass is not possible, it shall be contained in a freezer or stored in a sanitary, nonoffensive manner until such time as it can be disposed of as provided under §H(3)(a).

(4) Litter, bedding, and animal excretions from:

(a) Companion animals shall be placed either in a:

(i) Sanitary sewer if allowed under any local ordinance or regulation and the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, or

(ii) Leak-proof disposable container, such as a plastic sack or a plastic-lined bag, when disposing of them by other available means;

(b) Livestock shall be:

(i) Handled as provided under §H(4)(a), or

(ii) Disposed of by any acceptable agricultural method.

(5) Before disposing of blood-soiled articles, they shall be placed in a leak-proof disposable container such as a plastic sack or a plastic-lined bag.

I. Waste materials should be removed regularly and frequently so that storage of waste does not create a nuisance.

J. The elimination or effective control of vermin shall be mandatory.