Lawmakers discuss expansion to Nero's Law, which allows EMTs to treat injured K-9s
BOSTON - State lawmakers discussed a bill on Monday that would expand the amount of care an EMT could give to police dogs when they are hurt in the line of duty.
It would allow EMT's to provide "advanced life support" and transport injured K-9s to veterinary clinics. The bill is a modification of Nero's Law, which was named after a Yarmouth K-9 who was shot in 2018.
Nero and his partner Sergeant Sean Gannon were executing a search warrant with other officers in Barnstable when they were both shot. Gannon was killed during the incident.
EMT's were not able to treat Nero on scene, and he was not allowed to be transferred to a veterinary clinic in an ambulance due to state law. Nero was taken to a clinic to undergo emergency surgery in the back of a police cruiser.
"Once you learn K-9 it is the most special, special aspects of law enforcement because they are not just dogs. They are officers. They save lives," Sergeant Gannon's mother testified.
Nero's law requires EMT's to take a three-hour training course on treating the animals.
The courses were improved in August of 2022 with a deadline of February 2023. Some ambulance services requested a year-long delay.