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Senate committee hears broad support for bill to certify 'comfort dogs' used by first responders
Summary
SB573 would create training, certification and operational standards for facility comfort dogs and handlers; law‑enforcement, mental‑health and nonprofit witnesses described life‑saving uses and asked for clarifications on ownership, insurance, spay/neuter, and handler training.
Senate Bill 573, introduced by Senator Regina Barcel, would establish certification, training and recertification standards for facility comfort dogs and their handlers, specify minimum training hours, require recordkeeping and define operational policies including retirement and confinement standards.
Law enforcement, mental‑health advocates and nonprofits described how comfort dogs have been used to de‑escalate crisis responses, support victims at child‑advocacy centers and improve first‑responder wellness. "When our dog went online, our dog saved the life of a middle‑school child who tried to kill herself," said retired Chief David Gholston, testifying on behalf of regional first‑responder wellness efforts.
Justin Breton, the Manchester police officer who chaired the bill's subcommittee, described the effort to put consensus standards together, saying the group included police, fire, EMS, corrections, NAMI, trainers and breeders. NAMI's Holly Stevens told the committee comfort dogs provide a bridge to services and help address mental‑health symptoms for individuals and first responders.
Stakeholders pressed for drafting changes: some urged the title be 'comfort dog' rather than 'facility comfort dog' to reflect the service orientation; others asked for explicit liability‑insurance language (clarifying "fully insure" to mean liability insurance) and for clarity on ownership (facility‑owned versus agency‑employed or nonprofit partnership). One witness suggested adding requirements on spay/neuter and retirement policies; sponsors said they would work with the subcommittee to refine those details.
Committee members and sponsors expressed support and asked advocates to provide specific amendment language; the hearing was closed with the chair saying the committee will continue collaboration to perfect statutory text.
