Senate File 31 - Introduced SENATE FILE 31 BY McCLINTOCK A BILL FOR An Act allowing emergency medical care providers to diagnose 1 and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs 2 while on duty. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1075XS (2) 91 da/ns
S.F. 31 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 , all of the following apply: 24 (1) The emergency medical care provider shall diagnose or 25 treat the police service dog only after diagnosing or treating 26 any injured human at the scene of the emergency. 27 (2) The emergency medical care provider shall not be civilly 28 liable for diagnosing or treating the police service dog if the 29 emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and in good 30 faith. 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical 35 -1- LSB 1075XS (2) 91 da/ns 1/ 2
S.F. 31 services that include diagnosing or treating an animals 1 injury. The services are required to be provided by a 2 veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by 3 the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169). 4 Certain exceptions apply which allow other persons to provide 5 limited services, such as persons performing accepted livestock 6 management practices (Code section 169.4). 7 BILLS PROVISIONS. This bill provides an exception for 8 a person certified by the department of health and human 9 services as an emergency medical care provider (Code chapter 10 147A) when diagnosing or treating a police service dog acting 11 under the supervision of peace officer (e.g., county sheriff 12 or deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the 13 department of public safety). The police service dog must 14 be injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the 15 veterinary medical services must be necessary to immediately 16 stabilize the police service dogs condition for a later 17 diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or temporary 18 permit holder. The bill provides that an emergency medical 19 care provider is not required to diagnose or treat a police 20 service dog, cannot provide such a service prior to diagnosing 21 or treating a human at the scene of an emergency, and is not 22 civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police service 23 dog if the emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and 24 in good faith. 25 -2- LSB 1075XS (2) 91 da/ns 2/ 2