AUGUSTA (AP) – Maine law exempts the governor, legislators while they’re in session and physicians from jury duty. Now, veterinarians are added to the select list.

Gov. John Baldacci on Thursday signed into a law a bill to exempt from jury duty veterinarians who are employed in or have active veterinary medicine practices.

The bill had no opposition in committee and passed in the House and Senate after limited debate. Its sponsor, Rep. Ross Paradis, D-Frenchville, said it’s the right thing to do because pets, especially dogs, are “indispensable as protectors of their masters or facilitators for disabled people in their charge.”

“It is time that we provide for our loyal, loving and indispensable friends from the animal world the same reliable and accessible medical care that we give ourselves,” Paradis’ written testimony said.