| Chapter 296 |
| 2022 -- H 7021 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/29/2022 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- ANIMAL CARE |
Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, C Lima, Solomon, Edwards, Shanley, Serpa, Amore, Carson, Craven, and Noret |
| Date Introduced: January 10, 2022 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 4-19 of the General Laws entitled "Animal Care" is hereby amended |
| by adding thereto the following section: |
| 4-19-23 4-19-24. Humane transportation of K-9 partners. |
| (a) For this the purposes of this section, "police dog" means: a dog owned by a police |
| department or police agency of the State state of Rhode Island or any political subdivision thereof, |
| that is used by the department or agency for official duties. |
| (b) EMS personnel may provide emergency treatment to a police dog injured in the line of |
| duty and transport such the police dog by ambulance to a veterinary care facility equipped to |
| provide emergency treatment to dogs; provided, however, that EMS personnel shall not transport |
| an injured police dog if providing such transport would inhibit their ability to provide emergency |
| medical attention or transport to a person requiring such services. |
| (c) The department of health, in consultation with the Rhode Island veterinary medical |
| association, the Rhode Island association of fire chiefs, the Rhode Island state association of |
| firefighters, at least two (2) practicing, licensed emergency medical technicians, the international |
| brotherhood of police officers' K-9 officer, the fraternal order of police's K-9 officer, and the |
| department of state police's K-9 unit, shall develop policies and procedures that include, but are not |
| limited to: |
| (1) 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; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall authorize the |
| provision of advanced life support care to a police dog; |
| (2) Safe handling procedures for injured police dogs, including, but not limited to, the use |
| of a box muzzle and response coordination with a law enforcement official trained in handling |
| police dogs; |
| (3) Identification of veterinary facilities that provide emergency treatment for injured |
| police dogs; |
| (4) Decontamination of stretchers, the patient compartment, and any contaminated medical |
| equipment after a police dog has been transported by ambulance or EMS vehicle; and |
| (5) Sterilization of the interior of an ambulance or EMS vehicle before being returned to |
| human service, including, but not limited to, sanitizing all allergens and disinfection to a standard |
| safe for human transport. |
| (d) The department of health may grant a waiver from this section if the department |
| determines that compliance poses a safety risk to the public. The department shall develop |
| regulations regarding applications and issuance of such a waiver. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC003225/SUB A/2 |
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