A paramedic opens the red Medical Information wallet on a German Shepherd's vest beside an ambulance
For firefighters, EMTs and police

Service dog in the ambulance or on scene, look for the red pouch

Patient medical info is on the front of the card. The dog's tasks and who to call for the dog are on the back.

Rated 4.9 Designed with firefighters, EMTs and police Engraved aluminum, no power or signal needed Made by an Army veteran handler
Where to find it

Find the red pouch on the vest, harness, leash or bag

It's a bright red wallet with a medical symbol that glows in the dark. The flap is magnetic, so it opens in one pull.

A gloved hand opens the red wallet on a German Shepherd service dog's vest outside an ambulance
Where to look
On the vest Pressed onto a loop panel.
On the harness Clipped to a handle or D ring.
On the leash Clipped near the handle.
On a bag Clipped to the handler's bag when the dog is off duty.

The patient is on the front, and the dog is on the back

Handlers write their own cards, so wording varies. Tap a line to see what each one tells you.

Patient information Taylor Brooks  D.O.B. 04/12/1988 Sandy, Utah
Medical Conditions  Epilepsy, type 1 diabetes
Medications  Levetiracetam, insulin pens
Allergies  Penicillin
Notes  Rescue meds and glucose in front vest pocket.
Emergency Contacts
Sam Brooks, spouse (555) 0150
Emergency Dog Contacts
Vet · Valley Animal Clinic (555) 0103
Dog Handler · Kim Ito, trainer (555) 0188
Service Dog Alerts
Paws before a seizure, lies beside me, barks for help

Sample card with a made up name. Yours is engraved with your own details.

Tap a line to see why it's there

Pawing, barking or lying across the patient may be a trained alert

Many service dogs are trained to stay close. Check the back of the card to see what the dog is telling you about the patient.

Tap what you see on scene
A black Labrador service dog in an orange vest with the red wallet stands alert at a car accident as a firefighter approaches
A golden retriever service dog lies on a cafe floor beside its handler while a woman reads the card from its wallet and calls 911
A German Shepherd service dog sits beside a responder who holds up the red card from its wallet near the ambulance
A German Shepherd service dog waits in a parking lot with a responder while its handler is loaded into the ambulance
What the card tells you
Alerts to seizures by pawing The dog noticed first. Let it stay close.
Does deep pressure to calm and ground me Work around the dog instead of pulling it away.
Barks for help when I go down It called you over. You're in the right place.
Handler sensitive, call my Emergency Dog Handler The number on the back is someone the dog knows.
On scene

Service dog on scene, step by step

Five steps, and most of them take a few seconds.

A gloved hand reaches for the red medical ID on a German Shepherd's vest at the open ambulance doors
A gloved hand holds the engraved card above a German Shepherd resting in the back of an ambulance
A paramedic kneels beside a golden retriever service dog and reads its engraved card
A familiar face kneels to greet a golden retriever service dog as paramedics wait by the ambulance
An ER nurse greets a wheelchair user and his yellow Labrador service dog in the hospital lobby
Step 1 of 5
Find the red pouch Check the vest, harness handle, leash or bag.
Read the front Conditions, meds, allergies and special notes.
Read the back What the dog's behavior means and who to call.
Call the Emergency Dog Handler Tell them where the patient is going and where the dog is.
Tell the receiving team Let the ER know the patient has a service dog and who has the dog.
A black Labrador service dog in a navy vest with the red wallet stands near its seated handler as a firefighter steps in at a car accident

When the dog can't ride along, call the Emergency Dog Handler on the back

The handler picked this person ahead of time, and the dog knows them. Some dogs are handler sensitive and won't settle with a stranger, and the card may say so.

“I built NooknRook so the people on scene know exactly who to call, and you can focus on getting better.”
Josh Allen · Founder, Army veteran and Rook's handler

  • Ambulance rides

    Under ADA guidance, service animals can generally ride along unless space is crowded or the dog would interfere with care.

  • One call for the dog

    The Emergency Dog Handler comes to get the dog, so animal control can stay off the radio.

  • A note for the ER

    Let the receiving team know there's a service dog and who has it.

Service dog in ambulance questions

Generally yes, under ADA guidance, unless the space is crowded or the dog would interfere with treatment. Then other transport for the dog should be arranged.

Patient medical info is on the front. Emergency contacts, the Emergency Dog Handler and the dog's tasks are on the back.

Many service dogs are trained to stay close. Call the Emergency Dog Handler on the back of the card to come get the dog.

No. It's a medical ID and emergency plan written by the handler. The ADA doesn't require service dogs to carry ID.

Yes. The quick reference is a free one page PDF you can print for your rig or station.

Look for the red pouch, with patient info on the front and dog info on the back

Free one page PDF
The red Medical Information wallet, closed
The front of an engraved NooknRook card