'Dakota's Law' would create retirement fund for police dogs in Massachusetts
SEEKONK - A new bill aims to create a fund to pay for the expenses of retired police dogs, some of whom have injuries they suffered while working.
"There's hundreds of dogs in Massachusetts, serving and protecting us, all over the Commonwealth but when they retire, it sometimes ends there. Their medical bills are not paid. Their medicine is not paid for," said State Rep. Steve Xiarhos who filed the bill.
Xiarhos championed Nero's Law, which authorizes emergency medical service personnel to provide emergency treatment and transport of K-9 partners. Nero's Law is named for Yarmouth K-9 Nero who was shot in the line of duty. His handler, Sgt. Sean Gannon, was killed in the same incident.
Now, Xiarhos has coined his bill "Dakota's Law," in honor of a K-9 who inspired a sanctuary for retired K-9s in Seekonk called the K-9 PTSD Center. Dakota responded to the Boston Marathon bombing.
Xiarhos says Dakota's Law would encourage non-profits to build a fund for these K-9s.
"You know, my son was killed in Afghanistan and those dogs that helped protect him and his Marines when they come home, they need to be taken care," Xiarhos said.
Jim Lamonte runs the K9 PTSD Center. He says K-9s can suffer from PTSD after experiencing trauma, just like people.
"You see hypervigilance. You see avoidance. You look at self-soothing behaviors," Lamonte said.
Lamonte takes in K-9s from police departments all over the country and gives them rehabilitation and affection. The works comes out of his own pocket.
"It costs about everything I have. I mean, I sold my car. I sold my future retirement funds," he said.
Lamonte is hoping Rep. Xiarhos bill will help with the cost of taking care of these retired dogs.
"It's time for us to give back to them. They served us. It's time for us to serve them," Lamonte said.
The story of Dakota and the center will be featured in a Netflix documentary called Healing Dakota, set to be released later this year.