HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 326        FILED ON: 1/20/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2547

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Steven G. Xiarhos

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act providing for the care and transportation of police dogs injured in the line of duty (Nero's Law).

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 326        FILED ON: 1/20/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2547

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act providing for the care and transportation of police dogs injured in the line of duty (Nero's Law).

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 111C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “person” the following definition:-

“Police dog,” a specially trained dog owned or used by a law enforcement department or agency of the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, and used in the course of the department’s or agency’s official work, including a search and rescue dog, service dog, accelerant detection canine, or other dog that is in use by the law enforcement agency for official duties.

SECTION 2. Said Chapter 111C is hereby amended by adding after Section 9 the following section:-

Section 9A. Ambulance services shall authorize their EMS personnel to provide emergency treatment to a police dog injured in the line of duty, and transport such police dog by ambulance, to a veterinary clinic or veterinary hospital equipped to provide emergency treatment to dogs; provided, there are no person requiring emergency medical treatment or transport at that time. Ambulance services shall develop written policies or procedures for the following:

(a) Appropriate training of EMS personnel to provide police dogs basic level first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and life-saving interventions, including but not limited to administering naloxone , developed in consultation with a veterinarian licensed pursuant to chapter 112; the provision of advanced life support care is not authorized and requires treatment by a veterinarian licensed pursuant to chapter 112;

(b) Safe handling procedures for injured police dogs, including the use of a box muzzle, and response coordination with a law enforcement agency member trained in handling police dogs, developed in consultation with a veterinarian licensed pursuant to chapter 112 and a law enforcement police dog handler or trainer;

(c) Identification of local veterinary facilities that will provide emergency treatment of injured police dogs on short notice;

(d) Proper and complete decontamination of stretchers, the patient compartment, and all contaminated medical equipment, when a police dog has been transported by ambulance or other EMS vehicle; and

(e) Sterilization of the interior of an ambulance, including complete sanitizing of all allergens and disinfection to a standard safe for human transport before being returned to human service.

SECTION 3. Section 21 of chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-

No EMS personnel certified, accredited or otherwise approved under this chapter, and no additional personnel certified or authorized under section 9, who in the performance of their duties and in good faith render emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, transportation, or other EMS, to an injured police dog, as permitted by section 9A of this chapter, shall be personally liable as a result of rendering such aid or services or, in the case of an emergency medical technician or additional personnel, as a result of transporting such animal to a veterinary care facility, nor shall they be liable to a veterinary care facility for its expenses if, under emergency conditions, they cause the admission of such animal to said veterinary care facility.

SECTION 4. Section 58 of chapter 112, as appearing in the 2018 General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting the following paragraph:-

9. Any EMS provider who provides care to an injured police dog as defined in Section 9A of Chapter 111C.