AB 463: Emergency medical services: police canines.

Existing law authorizes a private ambulance owner to operate an emergency ambulance service upon obtaining a license from the Department of the California Highway Patrol, as specified.

This bill would authorize those license holders to transport a police canine, as defined, that is injured in the line of duty, to a veterinary clinic or similar facility if there is no other person requiring medical attention or transport at that time.

Existing law requires emergency services and care to be provided to any person requesting the services or care, as specified. Existing law exempts from civil liability a person who, in good faith and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care at the scene of an emergency resulting from any act or omission.

This bill would authorize a paramedic or an emergency medical technician to provide emergency medical care to a police canine that is injured in the line of duty while at the scene of the emergency or while the police canine is being transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility, and would exempt that person from civil or criminal liability if they act in good faith to provide emergency medical care to an injured police canine.

Existing law makes it unlawful for any person to practice veterinary medicine unless the person holds a valid license, as specified, subject to specified exemptions.

This bill would additionally exempt a paramedic or an emergency medical technician who provides emergency medical care to a police canine injured in the line of duty from those provisions.