Paws Up! To Rhode Island Representative David Bennett for introducing legislation that would provide life-saving services for K9s.
February 3, 2021
In 2018, K9 Nero and his partner, Sgt. Sean Gannon, were both shot by a criminal who was hiding from police. Tragically, Sgt. Gannon succumbed to his injuries, but Nero was able to pull through and recover after enduring two gunshot wounds.
Even though Nero was injured just for doing the job he was trained to do, because the ambulance service had a rule against transporting animals, he had to be transported to the vet via police cruiser, without the benefit of EMT’s caring for his critical wounds on the way.
Rhode Island Representative David Bennett wants to change all that with House Bill 5165 which would allow ambulances to transport police, military, and search and rescue dogs to a veterinary hospital if they are injured in the line of duty. This bill would also allow EMT’s to administer life-saving services such as first aid, giving oxygen, mouth-to-snout resuscitation, and control of blood loss while en route to the veterinary hospital.
Take Action: If dogs are going to be put in harm’s way to serve and protect the public, then they deserve the same level of emergency care as their human partners. Rhode Island residents, please tell your representatives to support House Bill 5165 to allow emergency services personnel to help on-duty K9s in their hour of need!