Senate File 296 - Introduced SENATE FILE 296 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO SF 31) A BILL FOR An Act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency 1 veterinary medical services while on duty. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1075SV (2) 91 da/ns
S.F. 296 Section 1. Section 147A.8, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. Provide veterinary medical services by 3 diagnosing or treating a severely injured police service dog 4 as provided in section 169.4. 5 Sec. 2. Section 169.4, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 6 following new subsection: 7 NEW SUBSECTION . 17. a. An emergency medical care provider 8 certified pursuant to chapter 147A who elects to provide 9 veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a police 10 service dog, if all of the following apply: 11 (1) The police service dog was on duty under the supervision 12 of a peace officer as defined in section 801.4. 13 (2) The police service dog suffered a severe injury. 14 (3) The veterinary medical services are necessary to 15 immediately stabilize the police service dogs condition for 16 later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or the 17 holder of a valid temporary permit. 18 b. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant 19 to chapter 147A may elect not to provide veterinary medical 20 services under paragraph a . 21 c. If an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant 22 to chapter 147A elects to provide veterinary medical services 23 under paragraph a , the emergency medical care provider shall 24 not be civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police 25 service dog if the emergency medical care provider acted 26 reasonably and in good faith. 27 d. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant to 28 chapter 147A electing to provide veterinary medical services 29 under paragraph a shall comply with all of the following: 30 (1) The emergency medical care provider may diagnose 31 or treat a severely injured police service dog only after 32 the emergency medical care provider furnishes all diagnoses 33 or treatment needed by the last human at the scene of the 34 emergency. 35 -1- LSB 1075SV (2) 91 da/ns 1/ 3
S.F. 296 (2) The emergency medical care provider shall not use 1 equipment, or shall discontinue the use of equipment, to 2 diagnose or treat a severely injured police service dog at the 3 scene of an emergency, if any of the following apply: 4 (a) The equipment is needed to diagnose or treat a human at 5 the scene of the emergency. 6 (b) The equipment is dispatched to another location. 7 (3) The emergency medical care provider shall not diagnose 8 or treat a severely injured police service dog, or shall 9 discontinue diagnosing or treating a severely injured police 10 service dog, at the scene of an emergency, if any of the 11 following apply: 12 (a) The emergency medical care provider is dispatched to 13 another location. 14 (b) A vehicle used to transport the emergency medical care 15 provider is dispatched to another location. 16 e. A severely injured police service dog shall not be 17 transported in a vehicle that provides emergency medical or 18 ambulance services. 19 EXPLANATION 20 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 21 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 22 BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical 23 services that include diagnosing or treating an animals 24 injury. The services are required to be provided by a 25 veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by 26 the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169). 27 Certain exceptions apply which allow other persons to provide 28 limited services, such as persons performing accepted livestock 29 management practices (Code section 169.4). 30 BILLS PROVISIONS GENERAL PROVISIONS. This bill provides 31 an exception for a person certified by the Iowa department of 32 health and human services as an emergency medical care provider 33 (care provider) (Code chapter 147A) when furnishing aid, in the 34 form of diagnosis or treatment, to a police service dog acting 35 -2- LSB 1075SV (2) 91 da/ns 2/ 3
S.F. 296 under the supervision of a peace officer (e.g., county sheriff 1 or deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the 2 department of public safety). The police service dog must be 3 injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the aid 4 must be necessary to immediately stabilize the police service 5 dogs condition for later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed 6 veterinarian or temporary permit holder. A care provider who 7 acts in good faith to provide veterinary medical services to a 8 police service dog is not civilly liable. 9 BILLS PROVISIONS CONDITIONS. The care provider in 10 furnishing aid to the police service dog must comply with a 11 number of conditions. The care provider must first furnish 12 aid to the last human at the scene of the emergency; must not 13 use equipment, or discontinue the use of equipment, to furnish 14 aid to a treat a police service dog if the equipment is needed 15 to furnish aid to a human at the scene of the emergency or 16 the equipment is dispatched to another location; and must 17 not render aid to a police service dog, or must discontinue 18 rendering aid, at the scene of an emergency, if the care 19 provider is dispatched to another location or the vehicle 20 used to transport the care provider is dispatched to another 21 location. In addition, the police service dog cannot be 22 transported in a vehicle that provides emergency medical or 23 ambulance services. 24 -3- LSB 1075SV (2) 91 da/ns 3/ 3