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Bill Summary · HB 512

Summary — HB 512: Emergency Care/Animals/Veterinary Practice (North Carolina, 2025)

Main purpose

HB 512 creates a limited, targeted exemption from North Carolina’s veterinary licensing rules to allow emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to provide emergency medical transport and emergency medical care to injured law‑working dogs (K‑9 police animals and certified search‑and‑rescue dogs) at the scene of an emergency. It also grants EMS personnel limited immunity from prosecution for providing such care when acting in good faith.

Key provisions

  • Amends G.S. 90‑187.10 to add an explicit exemption allowing EMS personnel (as defined in G.S. 131E‑155) to provide emergency medical transport or emergency medical services to:
    • injured K‑9 police unit animals; and
    • injured certified search‑and‑rescue dogs deployed by or contracted to work with a federal, State, or local agency or department.
  • Excludes individuals credentialed solely as emergency medical dispatchers from the definition of EMS personnel for this purpose.
  • Adds G.S. 131E‑155.2 establishing limited immunity:
    • EMS personnel who, in good faith, provide emergency medical transport or services to an injured K‑9 or search‑and‑rescue dog at the scene shall not be prosecuted for doing so.
    • Immunity does not cover gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.
    • Defines “search and rescue dog” as one certified by a national certification organization and deployed or contracted with an agency.
  • Effective date (if enacted): becomes effective 30 days after the act becomes law and applies to acts occurring on or after that date.

Who is affected

  • Primary: EMS personnel responding to emergencies involving K‑9 police animals or certified search‑and‑rescue dogs (excluding emergency medical dispatchers).
  • Secondary: Law enforcement and search‑and‑rescue agencies that deploy working dogs; licensed veterinarians (the bill does not authorize non‑veterinary ongoing practice of veterinary medicine).
  • Third parties: Agencies’ legal/risk management and prosecution authorities (because of the immunity provision).

Potential impact and considerations

  • Public safety/animal welfare: May reduce delays in initial stabilization and transport of injured working dogs, potentially improving outcomes.
  • Legal/regulatory: Clarifies that EMS actions in this narrow context are not unauthorized veterinary practice and provides limited criminal immunity when acting in good faith; civil liability exposure for grossly negligent or intentional wrongdoing remains.
  • Operational: EMS agencies may need to update protocols and training to address on‑scene care and transport of animals, and to align procedures with the statutory limits.
  • Fiscal: No significant direct fiscal impact anticipated; training or protocol updates could create minor administrative costs.

Procedural status (from supplied timeline)

  • Filed/introduced in the 2025 session; referred to relevant committees and considered in public hearing (April 2, 2025). As supplied, the bill was left pending in committee following that hearing. If enacted, it takes effect 30 days after becoming law.

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

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