Allowing emergency medical care providers to diagnose and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs while on duty

BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical services that include diagnosing or treating an animal’s injury. The services are required to be provided by a veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169).4). BILL’S PROVISIONS., county sheriff or deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the department of public safety). The police service dog must be injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the veterinary medical services must be necessary to immediately stabilize the police service dog’s condition for a later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or temporary permit holder. The bill provides that an emergency medical care provider is not required to diagnose or treat a police service dog, cannot provide such a service prior to diagnosing or treating a human at the scene of an emergency, and is not civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police service dog if the emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and in good faith.