As a veterinarian and advocate of emergency care for working dogs known as Operational K9s (OpK9s), I was interested to read the Oct. 2 VIN News Service report on recent state actions in this realm, Three states adopt laws allowing emergency medics to treat K9s.

In 2024, several collaborators and I conducted a study evaluating which states had enacted or were in the process of enacting laws that allow medics who usually treat humans to treat OpK9s — laws technically known as prehospital veterinary care legislation (PVCL). We found that 20 had legislation — Colorado being the first, in 2014 — and 23 had established protocols.

I have been involved in many states' efforts, including the recent initiative in Alaska described in the news report. Although that one didn't make the final cut, plans are in motion to push the proposal forward again.

The need to close the gap in providing point-of-injury care for OpK9s injured in the line of duty is a primary reason a group of us — veterinary professionals, emergency medical service (EMS) clinicians and OpK9 handlers — formed the National Association of Veterinary Emergency Medical Services in 2019. NAVEMS is a nonprofit with a mission to serve providers of veterinary prehospital care with the knowledge, information and inspiration to enable them to be the best in their profession. These individuals include professional and volunteer first responders and other public health care professionals.

Our goal is to deliver focused educational programs and build strong networks to enable collaboration between veterinary and EMS professionals to develop a national standard of care for veterinary prehospital care. Specifically, the association aims to:

• Develop core content, specifying the knowledge and skills needed in an out-of-hospital setting and establishing a common language to facilitate clear communication among prehospital and hospital care providers
• Develop a scope of practice model that defines levels of provider practice and specifies the skills and knowledge that each level entails
• Develop education standards to prescribe how to teach the knowledge and skills at each provider level

We have already published our veterinary EMS (VEMS) scope of practice and core competency recommendations for the various levels of EMS practitioners.

Another goal is to advocate for relevant legislation nationwide and help states create protocols. Recently, NAVEMS, together with the Veterinary Committee on Trauma and the National Association of Emergency Medical Service Physicians, published a joint position paper supporting the training and implementation of EMS clinicians to provide emergency point-of-injury care to OpK9s hurt in the line of duty.

The NAVEMS curriculum committee is piloting a prehospital veterinary first responder course that states and territories may use as a template in developing their own training curriculum. We have offered the course at the past three International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposia and plan to expand to other locations.

Here are a few examples of state and regional accomplishments in the field:

Maine was the first state to institute Operational K9 EMS protocols that were approved by the state EMS Medical Direction and Practices Board. Since enactment of its PVCL in 2018, Maine has provided one to two OpK9 first responder classes annually, open to handlers, veterinary and EMS professionals, and other allied health professionals who support OpK9s throughout New England.

Massachusetts in 2022 passed Nero's Law, which requires emergency personnel to treat and transport injured police dogs and training for rendering care. That led to the creation by Dr. Sean Majoy, in collaboration with Tufts University, of the New England Working Dog Center of Clinical Excellence. The center's initial goals include development of an advanced K9 emergency first-responder curriculum, curation of existing knowledge on working dog health and veterinary care, and translation of the information to OpK9 care programs.

In Wisconsin, Dr. Lisa Converse led the formation of the Operational K9 Medical Team of Wisconsin, a nonprofit with an aim of ensuring that every person who works with OpK9s has the knowledge and skills needed to provide immediate, lifesaving care.

There are numerous other such initiatives. Anyone interested in current legislative efforts and "lessons learned" on pursuing relevant legislation in their respective locales, please feel free to email me at lpalmer2508 (at) gmail (dot) com. I have gathered key points and potential obstacles that may help guide you through the process.

Dr. Lee Palmer is founder and chair of the K9 Tactical Emergency Casualty Care Initiative, veterinary medical director of the National Association of Veterinary Emergency Medical Services, medical education director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Practitioner Program, and a consultant in emergency medicine for the Veterinary Information Network.