[nagdu] service animals and law enforcement assistance

[Jenine Stanley]

Did I miss something in these reports? Was the dog struck ill while working, such as by heat stroke? Was it injured? Was the woman on her way to the vet when this happened? 

I’m assuming florida has a Good Samaritan Law that covers people including law enforcement personnel against being sued for transporting a human and I’m sure this would extend to a service animal as defined under Florida law given that the animal is an extension of the person if the law words it that way. That would be the question for the legal minds among us. 

I too can’t believe no one else offered to take the person and dog the mile it took to get to the vet. I don’t know what else this woman might have tried to do but I’d have called the vet’s office as well. Of course we can all armchair quarterback this situation to death but what if it was one of us whose dog was injured or ill and could not go on to get us where we needed to go? 

No, agree that law enforcement and emergency services should not have to take us to the vet if our dogs fall ill at home. When out and about though, is there that Good SSamaritan obligation? 

Being friends with many of our local police officers, I can’t imagine one of them not breaking every rule to get someone with a service animal to the vet in an emergency like this but then again, who knows. 

The sad part is that this woman’s dog is dead and whether it could have been prevented by her or by someone simply offering her a ride, she will have to live with it for the rest of her life. Not a fun thing.
Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com

http://www.twitter.com/jeninems