Animal control: tranquilizers.

Existing law authorizes any peace officer, humane society officer, or animal control officer to take possession of a stray or abandoned animal and to provide care and treatment for the animal until the animal is deemed to be in suitable condition to be returned to the animal's owner. Existing law regulates the distribution of controlled substances, as defined. Among other things, these provisions authorize certain practitioners, including a physician or a veterinarian, or the authorized agent of that practitioner in the presence of the practitioner, to administer controlled substances. This bill would authorize an animal control officer or humane officer to possess and administer a tranquilizer that contains a controlled substance to a wild, stray, or abandoned animal, as specified, with direct or indirect supervision as determined by a licensed veterinarian, provided that the officer meets prescribed training and other requirements. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 597.1 of the Penal Code proposed in SB 1500, that would become operative only if SB 1500 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.