2022 – Nero’s Law

An Act allowing humane transportation of K9 partners aka Nero’s law

Passed by the Senate on November 10, 2021. Passed by the House on February 3, 2022. Signed by Governor Baker on February 15, 2022. Read the law: Chapter 23 of the Acts of 2022.

Photo from Yarmouth Police Department Facebook

Filed by Representative Steven Xiarhos and Senator Mark Montigny, this law allows a police dog (a dog owned by a police department or police agency of the Commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof, that is used by the department or agency for official duties) injured in the line of duty to be transported in an ambulance if there is not competing need for human transport.

Similar laws already existed in several other states when this bill passed: California, Colorado, Ohio, and Wisconsin allowed pre-veterinary treatment for dogs and cats by EMS; Mississippi, New York, Illinois, and Michigan allowed for police K9s to be transported by EMS; Maine allowed for police K9s and service dogs to be treated and transported by EMS.

The town of Yarmouth suffered an incredible tragedy in April of 2018 when Sergeant Sean Gannon was killed in the line of duty. Also injured in this vicious attack was Gannon’s canine partner, Nero. Nero suffered life-threatening injuries and was unable to be treated by emergency medical personnel due to existing state law that prohibits working animals from being treated or transported by emergency personnel.

This law:

• Allows emergency personnel to treat injured police dogs.
• Allows emergency personnel to transport injured police dogs.
• Requires any emergency personnel that would render care to a police dog to have completed training consistent with standards approved by the Office of Emergency Medical Services.