Chapter 8 - Drugging of Horses

California Food and Agricultural Code — §§ 24000-24018

Sections (21)

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 7. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a)That the public has a valuable interest in public equine events and public horse sales.

(b)That it is the intent of this chapter to ensure the integrity of public equine events and public horse sales through the control of performance- and disposition-enhancing substances while limiting permitted therapeutic usage at horse shows and competitions.

§ 24001

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 447, Sec. 1. (AB 1142) Effective January 1, 2026.

For purposes of this chapter:

(a)“Event” means a public equine event or public horse sale that is held in the state, including a cutting horse competition, an endurance riding competition, a competitive trail competition, or any other competition as determined by the department by regulation.

(b)An equine event that is subject to this chapter shall meet all of the following criteria:

(1)Money, goods, or services are exchanged for the right to compete.

(2)Individuals compete for a single set of placings, points, or awards

at the equine event.

(3)(A) For one-day events, the entry fee to enter a single class exceeds fifteen dollars ($15) and either no other fees are charged or other fees charged exceed sixty dollars ($60). Fees charged may include ground fees, stall fees, or any other fees composed of money, goods, or services assessed to permit competitors to enter into the event.

(B)The secretary may, by regulation, increase the amounts specified in subparagraph (A), in consultation with the advisory committee appointed pursuant to Section 24013.5.

(c)Sales that are subject to this chapter are public sales that permit a horse to be consigned for public sale.

(d)The following events are excluded from this chapter:

(1)Competitions subject to the jurisdiction of the California Horse Racing Board.

(2)Sales consisting solely of racing stock.

(3)Parade horse competitions.

(4)A timed rodeo-related performance competition when held apart from a horse show, including, but not limited to, rodeo, roping club, cattle team penning, barrel racing, and gymkhana.

(e)“Event manager” means the person in charge of an event, including the entity or individual financially responsible for the event that is responsible for registering the event with the department, and who is responsible for the assessment, collection, and remittance of fees. “Event manager” includes horse show secretaries and managers, competitive event managers, and horse sale managers and sale owners.

(f)“Horse” means all horses, mules, and asses.

(g)“Licensed veterinarian” means a person licensed as a veterinarian by

the State of California.

(h)“Prohibited substance” means a stimulant, depressant, tranquilizer, anesthetic, including any local anesthetic, sedative analgesic, corticosteroid, anabolic steroid, or agent that would sore a horse, that could affect the performance, soundness, or disposition of a horse, or any drug, regardless of how harmless or innocuous it might otherwise be, that could interfere with the detection of any prohibited substance, including any metabolite or derivative of any prohibited substance.

(i)“Permissible substance” means a substance for which the department has established a limitation on dosage or a maximum permissible detectable level for the purposes provided in Section 24000.

(j)“Therapeutic administration” means the administration of a drug, medicine, or other substance that is necessary for the treatment of an illness or injury diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian. The administration of a prescription drug, medicine, or other substance shall only be as given or prescribed by the licensed veterinarian. The administration of a nonprescription drug, medicine, or other substance shall be in accordance with the directions on the manufacturer’s label.

(k)“Exempt medication” means an oral or topical medication containing prohibited substances determined by the department to be exempt from this chapter when administered therapeutically.

(l)“Public equine event” means a horse show or competition that permits a person to enter a horse for show or

competition in exchange for money, goods, or services. Any club or group that permits people to join or enter into competition in exchange for money, goods, or services, is “public” for purposes of this chapter.

(m)“Public horse sale” is a sale that consigns a horse in exchange for money, goods, or services, excluding sales consisting solely of racing stock.

(n)“Stimulant or depressant” means a medication that stimulates or depresses the circulatory, respiratory, or central or peripheral nervous system.

(o)To “sore” means to apply an irritating or blistering agent internally or externally for the purpose of affecting the performance, soundness, or disposition of a horse.

(p)“Trainer” means a person who has the responsibility for the care, training, custody, or performance of a horse, including, but not limited to, a person who signs any entry blank of a public equine event or public horse sale, whether that person is an owner, rider, agent, coach, adult, or minor.

§ 24002

Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 262, Sec. 1. (AB 945) Effective January 1, 2010.

The secretary has jurisdiction of all events under this chapter and shall administer and enforce this chapter.

§ 24003

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 227, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1995.

Except as otherwise prohibited by law, the full use of modern therapeutic measures for the improvement and protection of the health of the horses is permitted.

§ 24004

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 9. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

A horse shall not be shown in any class at an event if it has been administered in any manner a prohibited substance or permissible substance in violation of this chapter.

§ 24005

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 116, Sec. 5. (AB 1388) Effective January 1, 2014.

The trainer or owner, or both the trainer and owner, in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary, is responsible for a horse’s condition and is charged with knowledge of the provisions contained in this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. If a trainer is prevented from performing his or her duties, including responsibility for the condition of a horse in his or her care, by illness or other cause, or is absent from any event where a horse under his or her care is entered and stabled, the trainer shall immediately notify the secretary or manager of the event, and at the same time a substitute shall be appointed by the trainer. The substitute shall place his or her name on the entry blank at that time. The substitute shall

have the same responsibilities as the substituted trainer would have had for the condition of any horse in his or her care.

§ 24006

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 116, Sec. 6. (AB 1388) Effective January 1, 2014.

A trainer, owner, or both the trainer and owner, event manager, or any person who administers, attempts to administer, instructs, authorizes, aids, conspires with another to administer, or employs anyone who administers or attempts to administer a prohibited substance to a horse in violation of this chapter shall be subject to the penalties provided in this chapter that are applicable to the trainer or owner. The trainer and owner are both responsible for complying with this chapter after any course of medical therapy has been administered or prescribed by a licensed veterinarian employed by either the trainer or owner to examine and treat a horse. A licensed veterinarian who is employed by a trainer or owner to examine and treat a horse is not subject to the penalties

provided in this chapter solely on account of that examination and treatment or prescription.

§ 24007

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 10. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

(a)In addition to any other penalty or fine prescribed by law, a trainer or owner, or both the trainer and owner, of a horse found to have received a prohibited substance or permissible substance in violation of this chapter, or determined to be in violation of Section 24009 shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation, to be recovered by the secretary in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(b)In addition to the penalty

specified in subdivision (a) or any other penalty or fine prescribed by law, the secretary may suspend any trainer or owner, or both the trainer and owner, from all competitions at any public horse show or competition for a period of not less than 90 days or more than one year for each violation. It is unlawful for any person suspended from competition by the secretary to compete in any public horse show or competition during the period of suspension. Any person suspended from competition by the secretary who competes in any public horse show or competition during the period of suspension is subject to the civil penalty prescribed by subdivision (a) for each entry during the period of suspension.

(c)The owner or owners of a horse found to have received a prohibited

substance or permissible substance in violation of this chapter or determined to be in violation of Section 24009 shall forfeit all prize money or sweepstakes and any trophies, ribbons, and points won at any public horse show or competition by the horse and the same shall be redistributed by the horse show or competition in accordance with its rules or bylaws. The owner shall pay a fee of fifty dollars ($50) to the public horse show or competition. The horse may be suspended for any period of time specified by the secretary. If the violation occurs at a horse sale, the contract of sale is voidable at the buyer’s discretion.

(d)In lieu of civil prosecution by the secretary, the secretary may levy a civil penalty against a person violating any provision of this chapter.

(e)Before a civil penalty is levied, the person charged with the

violation shall receive notice of the nature of the violation and shall be given an opportunity to be heard, including the right to review the secretary’s evidence and a right to present evidence on his or her own behalf.

(f)Review of the decision of the secretary may be sought by the person against whom the penalty was levied within 30 days of the date of the decision pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(g)After the exhaustion of the review procedure provided in this section, the secretary or his or her representative, may file a certified copy of a final decision of the secretary that directs the payment of a civil penalty and, if applicable, any order that denies a petition for a writ of administrative mandamus, with the clerk of the superior court of any county. Judgment shall be entered immediately by the clerk in conformity with the decision or

order. No fees shall be charged by the clerk of the superior court for the performance of any official service required in connection with the entry of judgment pursuant to this section.

§ 24008

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 116, Sec. 7. (AB 1388) Effective January 1, 2014.

A horse at an event is subject to examination under the direction of a licensed veterinarian of the department or agent of the licensed veterinarian. The appointed licensed veterinarian, with the approval of the department, may appoint technicians and agents to perform certain duties under this chapter that are not prohibited by other provisions of law. The examination may include physical, urine, or blood tests, or any other test or procedure at the discretion of the licensed veterinarian, that is necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter. Any or all horses in or from a class or all classes in an event or any horse entered into or from any class or competition or sale, whether in competition or not, if the horse is on the show or sale grounds, or any horse

withdrawn by any person or trainer within 24 hours before a class for which it has been entered as well as any horse withdrawn from any horse sale, may be examined.

§ 24009

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 11. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

Whether a horse is in competition or not, refusal to submit a horse in an event for examination, or refusal to cooperate with the licensed veterinarian, or his or her technicians and agents, shall constitute a violation of, and subject the responsible person to, the same penalties that are applicable to prohibited substances or permissible substances under Section 24007. A suitable sample shall be collected from a horse selected for testing by a drug testing agent of the department unless the agent releases the horse from testing.

§ 24010

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 12. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

If the chemical analysis of blood, urine, saliva, or other samples taken from a horse indicate the presence of a prohibited substance or permissible substance or any metabolite or derivative thereof, it shall be prima facie evidence that the prohibited substance or permissible substance has been administered to the horse. A hearing shall be held when a positive report is received from a chemist identifying a prohibited

substance or permissible substance in violation of this chapter, or any metabolite or derivative thereof, unless the requirements of Section 24011 have been met or the prohibited substance or permissible substance consists solely of an exempt medication. The trainer or owner, or both the trainer and owner, responsible for the condition of the horse shall not be subject to the penalty prescribed under this chapter or suspended, and no horse shall be barred from competition until after the conclusion of the hearing and a written ruling thereon has been made by the secretary.

§ 24011

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 13. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

(a)A horse that has received a prohibited substance shall not be eligible for show, competition, or sale, unless the following requirements have been met and the facts requested are submitted to the department in writing:

(1)Medication shall be therapeutic and necessary for treatment of an illness or injury.

(2)A horse shall be withdrawn from a show or competition for a period of not less than 24 hours after a prohibited substance is administered, unless the department determines a different withdrawal period for a specific prohibited substance or class of substances. A horse shall be withdrawn from a public sale for a period of not less than 72 hours after a prohibited substance or

permissible substance

is administered. The withdrawal period for anabolic steroids is 90 days after administration and the withdrawal period for fluphenazine or reserpine is 45 days after administration.

(3)The medication shall be administered by a licensed veterinarian, the trainer, or the owner.

(4)Medication shall be identified as to the amount, strength, and mode of administration.

(5)The statement shall include the date and time of administration of the medication.

(6)The horse shall be identified by its name, age, sex, color, and entry number.

(7)The statement shall contain the diagnosis of the attending veterinarian and reason for administering the medication.

(8)The statement shall be signed by the person administering the medication.

(9)The statement shall be filed with the event manager of the public equine event or general manager of the public horse sale within one hour after administration or one hour after the event manager of the event returns to duty, if administration is at a time other than during show or sale hours.

(10)The statement shall be signed by the event manager or his or her designated representative and time of receipt recorded on the statement by the event manager or his or her designated representative.

(b)If the chemical analysis of the sample taken from a horse treated indicates the presence of a prohibited substance and all the requirements of this section have been fully complied

with, the information contained in the medication report and any other relevant evidence shall be considered at any hearing provided under this chapter in determining whether any provision of this chapter has been violated.

§ 24011.6

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 289, Sec. 14. (AB 3252) Effective January 1, 2019.

The therapeutic administration of a permissible substance is permitted before and during all events except public auctions, provided that the dosage does not exceed any limits, or result in levels that exceed maximum permissible detectable levels, established by the department by

regulation for the purposes provided in Section 24000.

§ 24012

Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 71, Sec. 60. (SB 1304) Effective January 1, 2015.

(a)(1) To provide funds for enforcement of this chapter, the event manager of every event shall charge and collect the applicable fee for each horse entered or exhibited in the event, and each horse consigned for public sale. The secretary may, by regulation, set the applicable fee, in consultation with the advisory committee appointed pursuant to Section 24013.5, at an amount necessary to carry out this chapter. An event manager shall be notified of the applicable fee at the time of registration of an event. The event manager of the registered event shall remit the fee established pursuant to this section, in addition to the completed assessment report for the registered event, as prescribed by the secretary, to the department within 15 days after completion of

the event. The event manager shall maintain event records for a period of two years after the completion of the event. Upon request by the department, the event records shall be made available to the department for inspection and photocopying to enable verification of appropriate fee collection and remittance.

(2)Notwithstanding Section 24001, a show event held over multiple consecutive days, with a different judge on each day, that is registered and managed by the same event manager on the same premises, shall be considered one event for the purpose of the assessment of the fee.

(b)An event manager who does not pay to the department the full amount that is due pursuant to this section shall pay a civil penalty of 10 percent of the amount due plus interest at the rate of 11/2percent per month of the unpaid balance computed from the date of the event. The event manager is personally liable for fees and penalties owed the department pursuant to this section.

(c)Fees and penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Funds received by the department from fees and penalties pursuant to this section shall be used exclusively to carry out the intent and purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, pharmacological studies, drug testing, and drug research, inspection for drugs, prosecution of alleged offenders, administrative costs, attorney’s and expert witness fees, and any other costs necessary to carry out this chapter.

§ 24013

Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 434, Sec. 10. Effective January 1, 2003.

(a)The secretary shall adopt those reasonable rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out this chapter.

(b)The secretary shall adopt an exempt medications list that identifies all exempt medications. All changes to the list shall take effect on January 1 of the following year. At the time an event is registered pursuant to Section 24015, a copy of the exempt medications list shall be provided to the event manager for reference purposes. The exempt medications list shall also be made available to any person upon request.

(c)In making and adopting regulations, the secretary shall first consult with the advisory committee appointed pursuant to Section 24013.5.

§ 24013.5

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 559, Sec. 72. (AB 2143) Effective January 1, 2025.

(a)The secretary shall appoint an advisory committee to serve without compensation. The committee shall meet at least once a year, however, the chairperson may call for additional meetings as the chairperson determines are necessary. The committee shall elect a chairperson at its first meeting after appointment. Thereafter selection of the chairperson shall take place as deemed appropriate by, and at the pleasure of, the committee.

(b)(1) Members of the committee and their alternates may include, but not be limited to, representation from the California State Horsemen’s Association, the Equestrian Trails, Inc., the California Professional Horsemen’s Association, the Los Angeles Hunter Jumper

Association, the California Dressage Society, the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association, the Central California Quarter Horse Association, the department, the North American Trail Ride Conference, the United States Equestrian Federation, the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine, the Appaloosa Horse Club, the Arabian Horse Association, the Pinto Horse Association of America, the California Veterinary Medical Association, the NorCal Hunter Jumper Association, the California Farm Bureau Federation, the California Gymkhana Association, the American Morgan Horse Association, the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association, the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association, and any other organization the secretary deems appropriate.

(2)The advisory committee members and their alternates shall be representative of the industry that this chapter regulates. The members of the committee may also include, but are not limited to, representatives

of breed associations represented within the state and other organizations with an interest in the deterrence of drug abuse in the industry that this chapter regulates.

(c)(1) In addition, the secretary may appoint one public member to the committee.

(2)Upon the secretary’s request, the committee shall submit to the secretary the names of three or more natural persons, each of whom shall be a citizen and resident of this state for appointment by the secretary as a public member and an alternate public member of the committee. The secretary may appoint one of the nominees as the public member on the committee. If all nominees are unsatisfactory to the secretary, the committee shall continue to submit lists of nominees until the secretary has made a selection. Any vacancy in the office of the public member of the committee shall be filled by appointment by

the secretary from the nominee or nominees similarly qualified and submitted by the committee. The public member of the committee shall represent the interests of the general public in all matters considered by the committee and shall have the same voting and other rights and immunities as other members of the committee.

§ 24014

Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 124, Sec. 27. Effective January 1, 1997.

It is the intent of the Legislature that each of the persons appointed to the advisory committee pursuant to Section 24013.5 represent and further the interests of the industry that person is selected to represent, and that this representation and furtherance serve the public interest. Accordingly, the Legislature finds that, with respect to each person who is appointed to the committee, the industry represented is tantamount to, and constitutes, the public generally within the meaning of Section 87103 of the Government Code.

§ 24015

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 116, Sec. 13. (AB 1388) Effective January 1, 2014.

(a)Every event shall be registered with the department, unless otherwise prescribed by the secretary by regulation. The event manager of an event shall file a completed registration form with the department, as prescribed by the secretary, at least 60 days before the beginning of the event, which shall constitute the registration of the event.

(b)An event manager who fails to register an event required to be registered pursuant to this chapter is subject to a civil penalty to be levied by the secretary in an amount not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). In determining the amount of the penalty, the secretary shall consider any previous violations, and whether the

event manager cooperated in good faith with the department.

(c)In addition to the civil penalty specified in subdivision (b), the secretary may, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, suspend the event manager from hosting or managing a public equine event for a period of not less than 90 days or more than one year for each violation. It is unlawful for an event manager suspended from hosting or managing a public equine event by the secretary to conduct a public equine event during the period of suspension. An event manager suspended by the secretary from hosting or managing a public equine event, who hosts or manages a public equine event during the period of suspension, is subject to the civil penalty prescribed by subdivision (b) for each public equine event held during the period of suspension.

§ 24016

Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1033.

No provision contained in this chapter shall in any way affect existing statutes governing horseracing or affect horse sales or horse auction sales when such sales are solely for the sale of racehorses or breeding stock that is used in the production of racehorses and when such sales are held or conducted on the premises of any racing association under the jurisdiction of, and with the authorization and approval of, the California Horse Racing Board.

“Racehorse” as used in this section means each live horse, including a stallion, mare, gelding, ridgeling, colt, or filly, that is eligible to participate in a horseracing contest in California wherein parimutuel racing is permitted under rules and regulations prescribed by the California Horse Racing Board. The exemption provided in this section shall not apply with respect to racehorses participating in a competition, show, or sale covered by this chapter.

§ 24017

Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 434, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2003.

This chapter shall not apply to any horse one year of age or less entered in any public horse sale, if public notice of the administering of any drug or medication has been given as prescribed by the secretary.

§ 24018

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 227, Sec. 14. Effective January 1, 1995.

The secretary may accept on behalf of the state, donations of money from any person, association, or agency interested in the control of drugging of horses. Any fines, penalties, fees, or donations collected by the secretary under this chapter shall be deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. Any interest earned from the investment of moneys derived pursuant to this chapter shall also be deposited in the fund. These moneys shall be used by the department to carry out this chapter.