(a) Any person who:
(1) Purposely kills or physically injures;
(2) Purposely causes physical contact that is of a nature likely to cause physical injury to; or
(3) Attempts to cause physical contact that is of a nature likely to cause physical injury to,
any animal owned by or used by a law enforcement agency or any search and rescue dog upon conviction is guilty of a Class D felony.
(b) A person who purposely interferes with or obstructs an animal owned by or used by a law enforcement agency or a search and rescue dog used by a law enforcement officer in the discharge or attempted discharge of his or her duties upon conviction is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(c) As used in this section, "search and rescue dog" means a dog:
(1) In training for or trained for the purpose of search and rescue;
(2) Owned by an independent handler or member of a search and rescue team;
(3) Used in conjunction with a local law enforcement organization or an emergency services organization for the purpose of locating a missing person or evidence of arson;
(4) Trained for the purpose of locating controlled substances; or
(5) Trained to assist in the apprehension of persons alleged to have violated any law.
(d) A person guilty of violating this section is also required to make restitution to the law enforcement agency or owner of the animal that suffered a loss due to the violation, including without limitation reimbursement for veterinary bills, and the replacement cost of the animal if the animal is permanently disabled or killed as a result of the violation.
Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.
LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.
The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.
You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.
The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.
Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.