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History
- Referred to rules
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide certain emergency medical care to cats and dogs under certain circumstances
Purpose
To authorize emergency medical care personnel to provide certain emergency medical care to dogs and cats.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Section 3013 of the Public Health Law is amended by adding two new subdivisions: (7) protects first responders who treat a dog or cat in an emergency from any civil or criminal liability in the instance of unsuccessful treatment or death of the animal, with the exception of the determination of gross negligence being the cause of death of the animal. (8) states any veterinarian who provides off-site instruction to first responders on how to treat a dog or cat in an emergency shall also not be liable for damages or injuries or death alleged to have been sustained by any dog or cat as a result of such instruction unless it is established that the cause was gross negligence on the part of the veterinarian.
Read the full memo (636 words)
Section 2. The Public Health Law is amended by adding a new section 3018 which states first responders may provide care to a dog or cat when responding to an emergency prior to transferring the animal to the care of a veterinarian. The emergency medical care first responders may administer is limited to the following: opening and manually maintaining an airway, providing mouth to mouth or mouth to barrier ventilation, administering oxygen, managing ventilation by mask, controlling hemorrhage with direct pressure, immobilizing fractures, bandaging, and administering naloxone hydrochloride. The State Board for Veterinary Medicine shall promulgate such rules and regulations.
Section 3. Section 6701 of the Education Law, as amended by Chapter 268 of the Laws of 2014, is amended to include that veterinarians may instruct certified first responders, emergency medical technicians or advanced emergency medical technicians on how to provide emergency medical care to a dog or cat.
Section 4. The opening paragraph of section 6703 of the Education Law is designated subdivision 1 and a new subdivision 2 is added which states that the State Board for Veterinary Medicine shall promulgate rules and regulations for the provision of emergency medical care to dogs and cats by emergency medical care personnel.
Section 5. Section 6705 of the Education Law is amended by adding a new subdivision 16 to add language regarding a certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician.
Justification
Emergency situations occur every single day. From house fires to car accidents, first responders and emergency medical technicians are the first to arrive at the scene to provide medical care and treat injuries. Unfortunately in these emergency situations, it is not only humans who desperately need medical attention. Domestic animals such as dogs and cats may also be the victims of a fire or accident. This legislation allows first responders and emergency medical technicians to provide treatment to a dog or cat that has been injured prior to transferring the animal to the care of a veterinarian. This legislation could mean life or death for countless beloved pets as in an emergency situation, time is truly of the essence and treatment needs to be administered immediately. This legislation also protects first responders, emergency medical technicians, and veterinarians from any civil or criminal liability in the instance that treatment was unsuccessful and the animal dies with the exception of a determination of gross negligence.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, except that sections one, two, three and five shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
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