Ohio lawmakers urged to allow emergency care for pets

By Marc Kovac | May 28, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

COLUMBUS

A township trustee from Columbiana County and representatives of pet-advocacy groups in the Youngstown area urged state lawmakers to move legislation allowing paramedics to treat injured dogs and pets at emergency scenes.

“I am not looking to turn an ambulance into a mobile vet clinic,” Robert Swickard, a St. Clair Township trustee who has worked as an emergency responder for more than three decades, told the Ohio House’s Health and Aging Committee on Wednesday. “I am not looking for more funding, just a clear path to do what is right.”

Swickard and others provided proponent testimony on House Bill 187, which would authorize first responders, emergency medical technicians and firefighters to assist with hurt dogs, cats and other animals, though it prohibits those responders from administering drugs to injured animals without first consulting a licensed veterinarian.

Swickard said the legislation is needed to protect emergency responders who want to assist pets or working animals at accident scenes, including local law-enforcement canine units.

Under current law, paramedics could lose their licenses for coming to the aid of an injured police dog.

“I want to be able, in the event of a canine emergency, to be able to get a veterinarian on the phone, advise them of the situation and let them tell me what to do in order to stabilize the dog until they could get here or we could get to them,” Swickard said.

Representatives of eight pet-advocacy groups also are backing the legislation, including the Nitro Foundation/Nitro’s Ohio Army and Angels for Animals.

“There is growing demand for the administration of early and potentially life-saving interventions to injured companion and working animals in an emergency situation,” said Diane Less, a Mahoning County resident who testified on behalf of the groups. “This care is not meant to replace that provided by a licensed veterinarian; rather, it is meant to provide stabilization prior to and during transport to a licensed veterinarian.

“Many of these EMTs and first responders have completed comprehensive training in small-animal first aid, safety, veterinary triage and basic veterinary cardiopulmonary life support. These highly trained professionals have been equipped with the knowledge, skills, tools and hands-on experience necessary to recognize potential animal emergencies and provide initial treatment and stabilization,” Less said.