Senate committee clears bill letting nonveterinarians float racehorses' teeth at two Indiana tracks

The Indiana Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday voted to advance House Bill 1490, as amended, to permit licensed nonveterinarian providers to perform limited teeth-floating on racehorses at licensed Indiana racetracks, a step supporters say will ease a shortage of large-animal veterinary services.

The bill, as amended in committee, directs the Indiana Racing Commission to license individuals to float teeth at licensed tracks in Shelbyville and Anderson only; it prohibits the use of sedation and power tools, limits extractions to loose deciduous (baby) teeth and bars work on incisor (front) teeth. The committee removed language that would have allowed equine chiropractic care and stripped a proposed liability-insurance requirement before voting to advance the measure.

The measure was brought by State Representative Matt Baird, the author of House Bill 1490. "The bill defines equine chiropractic care, and it defines teeth floating," Baird told the committee, and said the bill was narrowed to racetracks to reduce disease and transport risk.

Supporters testified that racetracks face practical shortages of large-animal veterinarians able to do routine dental work. "We have a…