COLUMBUS — Animals injured in emergency incidents, such as a house fire, would be able to receive treatment from first responders, if a proposed bill becomes law.
According to a report from WCPO media partner the Journal-News, the bill just passed the Ohio House and is headed for the Senate.
“Previously EMTS and paramedics were not able to treat animals because their scope of license prevented them from doing that,” State Rep. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, told the Journal-News.
The bill would allow first reconsider to administer oxygen, stop bleeding and provide other treatments to animals after all humans at the scene are examined and treated.
The bill also stipulates that emergency crews can only treat animals when they are already on the scene of an emergency also involving people: Ohio residents would not be allowed to call 911 to have an animal treated, the report said.
Anthony Shoemaker with the Journal-News contributed to this report.
