A state Senate bill similar to the one proposed by State Rep. Tony Scott that will allow emergency personnel to treat and transport an injured law enforcement dog to a veterinary hospital if the ambulance isn’t needed for a human has moved forward in the legislative process.
The legislature’s Public Safety Committee last week took favorable action on S.B. 932 AN ACT CONCERNING POLICE ANIMALS AND DOGS IN VOLUNTEER CANINE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS , moving it forward to the floor of the House of Representatives. The bill includes a concept from Scott’s proposed House bill.
Scott, who represents Easton, Monroe and Trumbull, said assisting people in need will always come first in emergency scenarios, but after EMS personnel have taken care of all of the human victims, they would be able to tend to any injured police dogs.
Currently EMS personnel in Connecticut are not required to treat and transport injured police dogs.
The inspiration for Scott’s bill came from a Massachusetts law enacted last year first proposed as a bill by State Rep. Steve Xiarhos called Nero’s Law after the K9 partner of Yarmouth Police Sgt. Sean Gannon.
In April 2018, Gannon was shot and killed while serving a search warrant and his police dog, Nero, was also shot. Despite empty ambulances sitting at the scene, Nero had to be rushed to a veterinary hospital in a police cruiser because no law was in place to permit EMS to provide aid. Nero survived.
The legislature will have until the conclusion of the legislative session on Wednesday, June 7 to vote on the bill.
