The Massachusetts Joint Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee (JPSHSC) has voted to favorably release Nero’s Law, HB 2547 and SB 1606, which would allow emergency care and transportation for a police dog injured in the line of duty. The measure will now advance to the Senate for further consideration.
The contribution these working dogs and their handlers make, and the important role they play in keeping our communities safe, cannot be overstated. Police K-9s are specially trained and certified to serve multiple purposes from search and rescue to explosive detection. If injured, these K-9s deserve nothing less than emergency transport and treatment. Additional details on the background and the American Kennel Club’s Government Relations Department (AKC GR) prior alert can be viewed here.
AKC Government Relations is very grateful to Representative Steven Xiarhos and Senator Mark Montigny for filing HB 2547 and SB 1606 and their continued advocacy. Since Massachusetts police K-9 Nero’s injury and Sergeant Sean Gannon’s death in 2018, the states of Florida, Oregon and Arkansas have adopted similar protections for police K-9s.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please join in AKC GR in thanking the Chairmen and JPSHSC members for prioritizing Nero’s Law and favorably voting that it ought to pass by emailing Dave McNeill at david.mcneill@mahouse.gov and Cara Libman at cara.libman@masenate.gov.
AKC GR will continue with updates on the progress of Nero’s Law. For more information on this or other legislative issues in Massachusetts, contact AKC GR at 919-816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org; or the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners at info@massfeddogs.org.