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Senate File 539 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1allowing emergency medical care providers to diagnose
2and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs
3while on duty.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 147A.8, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. Provide veterinary medical services by
4diagnosing or treating a severely injured police service dog
5as provided in section 169.4.
6 Sec. 2. Section 169.4, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 16. a. An emergency medical care provider
9certified pursuant to chapter 147A who elects to provide
10veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a police
11service dog, if all of the following apply:
12(1) The police service dog was on duty under the supervision
13of a peace officer as defined in section 801.4.
14(2) The police service dog suffered a severe injury.
15(3) The veterinary medical services are necessary to
16immediately stabilize the police service dog’s condition for
17later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or the
18holder of a valid temporary permit.
19b. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
20to chapter 147A may elect not to provide veterinary medical
21services under paragraph “a”.
22c. If an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
23to chapter 147A elects to provide veterinary medical services
24under paragraph “a”, all of the following apply:
25(1) The emergency medical care provider shall diagnose or
26treat the police service dog only after diagnosing or treating
27any injured human at the scene of the emergency.
28(2) The emergency medical care provider shall not be civilly
29liable for diagnosing or treating the police service dog if the
30emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and in good
31faith.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical
-1-1services that include diagnosing or treating an animal’s
2injury. The services are required to be provided by a
3veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by
4the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169).
5Certain exceptions apply which allow other persons to provide
6limited services, such as persons performing accepted livestock
7management practices (Code section 169.4).
8BILL’S PROVISIONS. This bill provides an exception for
9a person certified by the Iowa department of public health
10as an emergency medical care provider (Code chapter 147A)
11when diagnosing or treating a police service dog acting under
12the supervision of peace officer (e.g., county sheriff or
13deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the
14department of public safety). The police service dog must
15be injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the
16veterinary medical services must be necessary to immediately
17stabilize the police service dog’s condition for a later
18diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or temporary
19permit holder. The bill provides that an emergency medical
20care provider is not required to diagnose or treat a police
21service dog, cannot provide such a service prior to diagnosing
22or treating a human at the scene of an emergency, and is not
23civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police service
24dog if the emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and
25in good faith.
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2and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs
3while on duty.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 147A.8, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. Provide veterinary medical services by
4diagnosing or treating a severely injured police service dog
5as provided in section 169.4.
6 Sec. 2. Section 169.4, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 16. a. An emergency medical care provider
9certified pursuant to chapter 147A who elects to provide
10veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a police
11service dog, if all of the following apply:
12(1) The police service dog was on duty under the supervision
13of a peace officer as defined in section 801.4.
14(2) The police service dog suffered a severe injury.
15(3) The veterinary medical services are necessary to
16immediately stabilize the police service dog’s condition for
17later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or the
18holder of a valid temporary permit.
19b. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
20to chapter 147A may elect not to provide veterinary medical
21services under paragraph “a”.
22c. If an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
23to chapter 147A elects to provide veterinary medical services
24under paragraph “a”, all of the following apply:
25(1) The emergency medical care provider shall diagnose or
26treat the police service dog only after diagnosing or treating
27any injured human at the scene of the emergency.
28(2) The emergency medical care provider shall not be civilly
29liable for diagnosing or treating the police service dog if the
30emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and in good
31faith.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical
-1-1services that include diagnosing or treating an animal’s
2injury. The services are required to be provided by a
3veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by
4the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169).
5Certain exceptions apply which allow other persons to provide
6limited services, such as persons performing accepted livestock
7management practices (Code section 169.4).
8BILL’S PROVISIONS. This bill provides an exception for
9a person certified by the Iowa department of public health
10as an emergency medical care provider (Code chapter 147A)
11when diagnosing or treating a police service dog acting under
12the supervision of peace officer (e.g., county sheriff or
13deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the
14department of public safety). The police service dog must
15be injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the
16veterinary medical services must be necessary to immediately
17stabilize the police service dog’s condition for a later
18diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or temporary
19permit holder. The bill provides that an emergency medical
20care provider is not required to diagnose or treat a police
21service dog, cannot provide such a service prior to diagnosing
22or treating a human at the scene of an emergency, and is not
23civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police service
24dog if the emergency medical care provider acted reasonably and
25in good faith.
-2-da/ns