Sidelined California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) chief medical officer, Jeff Blea, filed an authorization with the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County to seek to lift the California Veterinary Health Commission’s temporary suspension order. for his veterinary license.
The court filing, dated February 24, also sought relief from the claim and injunction, arguing that the position of equine medical director does not require a license to operate, and that Blea, UC Davis and CHRB would continue. continue to suffer “irreparable harm” if California’s racecourse chief veterinarian is still unable to fulfill his duties.
UC Davis placed Blea on administrative leave from her role as equine medical director in January. That position was first appointed by the dean of UC Davis, then contracted with the CHRB for the appointee’s services.
In the interim, UC Davis has employed “school personnel” to perform the duties of equine medical director for the CHRB.
Second, Blea also officially brought the rolling ball to a formal hearing on the veterinary panel’s allegations against him, sending out a defense notice.
In the meantime, Blea will also likely seek to temporarily suspend his veterinary license until the High Court can formally hear the matter, his attorney George Wallace explained.
Another purpose of the stay is potentially delaying a formal hearing on the charges against Blea so that the veterinary panel receives guidance from the Superior Court “about what the law is,” Wallace said.
At the beginning of the year, the veterinary board announced that an urgent hearing had resulted in the temporary suspension of Blea’s veterinary license for a number of alleged crimes, including the willful use of drugs in horses. race without prior testing, without diagnosis and without medical facilities. the need.
The Veterinary Council also stated that Blea posed a “hazard to public health, safety and welfare”, due to his oversight as chief equine medical officer during the acute investigation. high on the death of Medina Spirit coached by Bob Baffert (Protonico), Kentucky Derby Winner, who collapsed and died after a scheduled practice on December 6 in Santa Anita.
The autopsy and post-mortem examination of Medina Spirit’s death have now been completed, with the cause of death still undetermined. John Pascoe, executive vice president of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, ultimately oversaw the hysteroscopy.
According to various leading veterinary experts, the veterinary panel’s charges against Blea – including those that were revised earlier this month – are largely due to lax record-keeping.
Veterinary experts also suggest that the veterinary panel’s investigation likely fails to explain the unusual nature of veterinary practices on farms where veterinarians – even those with Many barns under their care – can build relationships daily with their animals absent from traditional small-scale animal practices.
In his submission to the Superior Court, Blea argued that the temporary suspension of his veterinary license was invalid for a number of reasons, including the way an administrative law judge issued the suspension. that used “evidence preponderance” to support her decision, rather than legal reasons. requires higher standards based on “clear and convincing evidence of reasonable certainty.”
The judge’s findings “are not supported by the weight of the evidence, or by any substantial evidence, or at all,” the filing states.
Furthermore, although Blea retired from medical practice last June – to take up the role of equine medical director – there is no “substantial evidence” to suggest that even while he is still practicing profession, he still poses a “danger” to anyone, filing states.
“The charge does not contain any assertion or suggestion that any of Dr Blea’s equine patients were harmed in any way, or that of any Dr Blea client (owner and the person who trains those horses, the “consumer” of veterinary services whose interests are protected by the Veterinary Board) has the least claim of his professional practices in the care of these horses. that patient,” the filing added.
The Veterinary Council also argues that the statutory definition of the position of equine medical director means that Blea is actively engaged in the field of veterinary medicine by performing her duties.
In her High Court filing, Blea took issue with that assessment, arguing that the vet board’s reading of the state’s Business and Professions Code was “excessive and unreasonable,” and not “according to the law.”
The CHRB threw its weight behind Blea. Earlier this month, senior CHRB officials said that the agency was considering a similar legal intervention in the Superior Court on behalf of Blea.
Second, CHRB chief executive Scott Chaney explained that the agency is still in the process of finalizing that strategy.
The TDN also asked UC Davis whether Blea would resume his duties as equine medical director if the California Superior Court approves him to stay on temporary suspension. UC Davis has yet to respond.
