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Bill

S 6946

Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Andrew Lanza

Empowers EMS personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats in emergencies, helping on-scene pet care while awaiting veterinary treatment.

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 6946

Summary of Bill S 6946: Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats

Overview

S 6946 is a bill introduced on March 27, 2025, and currently REFERRED TO HEALTH. Its primary purpose is to authorize emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats in emergency situations. The bill lists Andrew J. Lanza as the primary sponsor and has several related bills from prior sessions.

What the bill would do

  • Authorize emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats.
  • The exact scope, definitions of “basic first aid,” and any required training or protocols would be determined by the final text. Those details are not included in the information provided.
  • Implicit potential components (not specified in the summary but commonly associated with similar bills) may include training requirements, standards of care, documentation, and protections for EMS personnel acting in good faith, but these are not stated here.

Key provisions and changes (as inferred)

  • Enabling authority for EMS personnel to assist companion animals in emergencies by delivering basic first aid.
  • Establishment of a defined scope of practice related to non-veterinary, initial aid for dogs and cats.
  • Possible prerequisites (training, certification, or protocols) and protections, though the exact language is not provided in the material at hand.
  • Any reporting, recordkeeping, or coordination with veterinary services or animal control would be addressed in the full text.

Who would be affected

  • Emergency medical care personnel (paramedics, EMTs, and other EMS providers) who would be authorized to render basic first aid to dogs and cats.
  • Pet owners and caregivers, who could benefit from immediate on-scene care while seeking veterinary treatment.
  • Animal patients (dogs and cats) in emergency settings.
  • EMS agencies and related healthcare systems that deploy personnel to public safety calls involving injured animals.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: March 27, 2025.
  • Status: REFERRED TO HEALTH.
  • Legislative actions show a formal referral to the Health Committee on the introduction date.
  • Related bills from prior sessions (S 8172, S 5716, S 792, S 5683, S 4637) indicate ongoing legislative interest in expanding EMS roles to include basic animal first aid.

Related bills

  • S 8172 (prior-session)
  • S 5716 (prior-session)
  • S 792 (prior-session)
  • S 5683 (prior-session)
  • S 4637 (prior-session)

Takeaways

  • The bill seeks to extend a limited, non-veterinary first-aid role to EMS personnel for companion animals during emergencies.
  • The final impact, including training requirements, scope limits, and liability protections, will depend on the full text as it moves through the Health Committee and potential floor consideration.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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