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Transporting Animals
While watching Animal Planet...okay my wife was and I was at the computer....there was this dog being transported to an animal in an ambulance with lights and siren. I didn't catch where it was. I've never heard of this being done in Delaware. Does your department do it or would that do it?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Negative! The ambulance is for people. We've had the PD transport animals to an animal hospital in the past.
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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on
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They might if it was a K9 unit...
If I was IC, I'd okay it.
TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Marc on
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Yes, here is what i got for ya!
We save lives. Whether human or animal, we save lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6GzFb7tRtU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYTIc3auPbA
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Permalink Reply by ff/emt 2155 on
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first of all let me start by saying i'm a big animal lover i'v brought home chicks rabbits countless dogs my wife calls me f-in dr dolittle but here in ohio it is against the rules of ohio medical transportation board to have animals in the back of an ambulance and if i was ic i would not ok this action thats what animal control is for or the dog warden as much as i would love to do it i would not
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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We just had a incident in our county where a family dog was attacked by two pit bulls and a county career paramedic unit was called by police to help save the dog. The dog was treated by the medics until animal control got there for the transport to the vet.
The pit bulls and their owner are still being hunted for by county police and animal control.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Does your department do it or would that do it?
We save lives. Whether human or animal, we save lives.
Do we do it? No, would we, I seriously hope never.
There are just too many issues with this. Number one EMT's and medics are trained to treat PEOPLE, not animals, and an ambulance is for people, not animals.
Whether human or animal, we save lives? Give me a break. It used to be that when treating kids, they were considered "small adults" how wrong that was. Today we have charts and med doses etc based off a kids weight and so forth and treatments have changed. There are so many different breeds, sizes, and variations of animals, that they are the last thing that should be ever considered in EMS. How do you justify treating and transport of an animal to the person having a heart attack or pulmonary edema, stroke, etc where times DOES count, receiving delayed care because the closest ambulance was responding for "my baby" call, who turns out to be the owner's dog. This is a justifiable risk for you? It sure isn't for me.
There is no reason to tie up an ambulance and medically trained personnel for animals where there is no training in. EMS is there for people, to save the lives of people and should not be used for the care, treatment, and transport of animals. It is one thing to rescue an animal in a rescue situation, but entirely something different to start responding for animals calls as a regular duty response for EMS.
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Permalink Reply by Jon Droska on
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I have never transported, or heard of someone running lights and sirens for an animal. I could see the K-9 police dog issue, they are police after all. I have taken some animal first aid classes, just in case. And I wouldn't have a problem rehabing a dog at a fire scene, we have doggie non- rebreathers on the ambulances. It goes a long way on public opinion, it's free good PR. And one of our part time EMTs is a vet, I'm sure he can handle any animal situation that might come up.
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Permalink Reply by capcityff on
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No way. It would be a terrible move here. We only have about 37 transport units in the city. That's not enough even for the people we have here. There have been plenty of days this summer where I've showed up in an engine and sat on scene for 30-45 minutes waiting for an ambulance because the others are all busy. During the Cherry Blossom Festival when there were millions in the city, I've heard other fire houses doing CPR on scene for 30 minutes without an ambo. Or another have to transport a shooting victim in the engine just to get away from the aggressive crowd in a bad neighborhood while waiting for the ambo. Many ambulances runs 20+ runs/tour and never see their fire house. When someone in the city dies because we were busy transporting an animal, there will be a lawsuit. This is unfortunate since the fire department isn't about helping anymore these days. It's all about the politics and staying out of trouble. Especially when you're in a city like this where people love to sue for anything. The job is definitely changing.
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Still, if I was Incident Command and taking the dog wouldn't bump a human from a seat, I'd okay it.
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"something different to start responding for animals calls as a regular duty response for EMS."
Ok. This is not a a regular duty by ANYMEANS! On all other animal calls, LEO's and Animal control handle unless FD has been requested. in this situation tho, No Animal control units were avalible to respond. In the whole county there is only like 10 animal controls units. In these unregular situations, its all bout life saving and quick thinking.
We have over 112 Fire Department Ambulances within the city. Plus so many private ambulance groups. Around 20, if I had to put a number on it. So there is plenty of coverage for the entire city. Plus we have mutual aidagreements, which means that everywhere is covered.
Could this be, that depending on resources, different decisions can be made?
More avalible resources, more ability to respond and handle these 'strange' types of calls?
If the ambulance has no other calls (and as you can see, this ambulance was dispatched to the dog-rescue call) then why not?!?!
They didn't go emergency to the vet. They went no-code to an LA County Animal shelter that has a vet staff. PD was on-scene and willing to transport, but the medics choose to take the poor pup instead. IC was fine with it. If it doesnt interfer with other emergencies or calls, then why not.
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how does a huge area like DC only run 37 transport ambulances?
I know off topic, but thats a surprising statistic, and not so much in a good way.
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Still, if I was Incident Command and taking the dog wouldn't bump a human from a seat, I'd okay it.
Work much in EMS? So you are essentially telling the rest of the taxpaying citizens that an animal is more important? Are you saying then you don't need EMS on a fire scene? What if those providing EMS are also FF's who supplement the incident, are you willing to put other FF's at risk for an animal?
There is one thing about assisting an animal on the scene and doing what you can type of thing, it is something completly different using an ambulance for transport....not our job, no way, no how.
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