Emergency medical services: dogs and cats.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Chaptered
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Create an account to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill allows ambulance operators, including those operated by federally recognized Indian tribe fire departments, to transport injured police canines or search and rescue dogs to veterinary clinics if no other medical needs are present. It also authorizes emergency responders to provide basic first aid to these dogs while being transported, protecting them from civil or criminal liability under specific circumstances. The bill clarifies existing laws regarding veterinary practice and first aid for animals, emphasizing the intent to allow voluntary assistance without penalty for non-veterinarians.
Key provisions
- Allows ambulance operators (including tribal fire departments) to transport injured police canines and search and rescue dogs to veterinary care when no other urgent medical needs exist.
- Authorizes emergency responders to provide basic first aid to injured police canines and search and rescue dogs during transport.
- Protects emergency responders from civil and criminal liability for providing basic first aid to these dogs while being transported, with exceptions for gross negligence.
- Requires ambulance operators transporting these dogs to develop and submit policies to local emergency medical services agencies.
- Defines ‘police canine’ and ‘search and rescue dog’ for clarity.
- Clarifies that providing first aid to animals does not constitute ‘for compensation’ for employment purposes.
- Explicitly prohibits requiring ambulance services or transport to be a condition of awarding contracts to emergency service providers.
Bill text
Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
Text extraction is in progress. View the official source.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
2 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsor
Arguments
Reasons offered for and against this legislation.
Arguments in favor
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yours