What's happening
This bill allows emergency medical service personnel to provide basic first aid to cats and dogs during emergencies, with liability protections and required regulatory oversight.
Why it matters
Expands the scope of EMS work. by allowing certified emergency medical personnel to provide basic life-saving care to dogs and cats when responding to emergencies, but only when no people require immediate attention. This acknowledges the important role of pets in families and emergencies.
Introduces specific, regulated procedures. such as airway management, oxygen administration, bleeding control, fracture immobilization, bandaging, and naloxone use—that EMS can perform on pets, potentially increasing survival rates for animals in crisis situations.
Establishes liability protections. for EMS personnel and veterinarians involved in emergency animal care, shielding them from most lawsuits unless gross negligence is proven, which may encourage more responders to assist animals without fear of legal consequences.
Requires regulatory and educational oversight. , mandating that the Commissioner of Education develop rules and that veterinarians provide guidance to EMS personnel, ensuring that animal care is performed safely and in accordance with professional standards.
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Who cares
Certified first responders, EMTs and ambulance services
The bill would authorize specified first aid for dogs and cats during emergencies when no person needs medical attention or transportation, with liability protections except for gross negligence.
Licensed veterinarians
The bill would authorize them to guide responders treating dogs and cats and protect off-site instruction from damages liability except for gross negligence.
Dog and cat owners
Their animals could receive limited emergency care before transfer to a veterinarian, including oxygen, bleeding control, fracture immobilization and veterinarian-directed naloxone.
State Education Department
The education commissioner would be required to issue rules governing emergency medical personnel’s first aid for dogs and cats.
Headline styles
Allow EMS to Aid Pets
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to health
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 59–3
- Ordered to third reading cal.1196
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5654
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 10, 2019
Introduced by Sen. METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide basic first aid to cats and dogs under certain circumstances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3013 of the public health law is amended by adding three new subdivisions 7, 8 and 9 to read as follows:
7. No certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or advanced emergency medical technician acting in accordance with section three thousand eighteen of this article, nor any ambulance service or advanced life support first response service of which such person is a member or employee, who, in the course of responding to an emergency, renders basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to such section, shall have any civil liability or have any liability for violating article one hundred thirty-five of the education law, for the provision of such care, or any damages to or death of any dog or cat alleged to have occurred by reason of an act or omission in rendering such medical assistance in an emergency unless it is established that such injuries were or such death was caused by gross negligence on the part of such certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician.
8. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any licensed veterinarian who provides off-site instruction, pursuant to section three thousand eighteen of this article, to any certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician providing basic first aid to a dog or cat shall not be liable for damages for injuries or death alleged to have been sustained by any dog or cat as a result of such instruction unless it is established that
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11577-01-9
S. 5654 2
such injuries or death were caused by gross negligence on the part of such licensed veterinarian.
9. The commissioner of education shall promulgate rules and regulations for the provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emergency medical care personnel pursuant to this section.
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3018 to read as follows:
§ 3018. Basic first aid to dogs and cats. 1. In the course of responding to any emergency, a certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician may, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the commissioner of education, provide basic first aid to a dog or cat prior to the transfer of such animal to the care of a licensed veterinarian, provided however, that there are no persons requiring medical attention or transportation at such time. The basic first aid provided to cats and dogs pursuant to this section shall be limited to the following, if the certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician is able and authorized to provide such care to a human:
(a) opening and manually maintaining an airway;
(b) providing mouth to mouth or mouth to barrier ventilation;
(c) administering oxygen;
(d) managing ventilation by mask;
(e) controlling hemorrhage with direct pressure;
(f) immobilizing fractures;
(g) bandaging; and
(h) administering naloxone hydrochloride to the extent authorized by law, rule or regulation and as directed by a licensed veterinarian.
2. To the extent practicable, each certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician, during the course of providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to this section, shall communicate with a licensed veterinarian for the purpose of consulting upon the provision of such care.
3. The commissioner of education shall promulgate such rules and regulations as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
§ 3. Section 6702 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3. Licensed veterinarians may provide instruction to any certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to section three thousand eighteen of the public health law.
§ 4. The opening paragraph of section 6703 of the education law is designated subdivision 1 and a new subdivision 2 is added to read as follows:
2. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emergency medical care personnel pursuant to section three thousand eighteen of the public health law.
§ 5. Section 6705 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 16 to read as follows:
16. A certified first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician providing basic first aid to the extent authorized by section three thousand eighteen of the public health law.
§ 6. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law and the educa- tion law, in relation to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide basic first aid to cats and dogs under certain circumstances
Purpose
To authorize emergency medical care personnel to provide certain emer- gency medical care to dogs and cats.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends section 1303 of the public health law by adding new subdivisions 7, 8 and 9.
Section two amends the public health law by adding a new section 3018.
Section three amends section 6702 of the education laiv by adding a new subdivision 3.
Section four amends section 6703 of the education law by designating the opening paragraph as subdivision 1 and adding a subdivision 2.
Section five amends section 6705 of the education law by adding a new subdivision 16.
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 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 one year after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.