What's happening
This bill increases penalties for killing a police work dog or horse and creates a new felony for injuring them.
Why it matters
Elevates the seriousness of harming police animals. By raising the penalty for killing a police dog or horse from a class E to a class D felony, the law signals that such acts are considered more severe crimes, potentially resulting in longer prison sentences and higher fines.
Creates a new felony for injuring police animals. The bill introduces a distinct felony offense (class E) for intentionally causing serious physical injury to a police dog or horse in the line of duty, addressing gaps where animals are harmed but not killed.
Expands legal protection for law enforcement animals. The definition covers any dog or horse owned by state, municipal, or federal law enforcement, ensuring broad applicability and protection for animals supporting public safety.
May deter attacks and support police operations. By increasing penalties and explicitly criminalizing injury (not just death), this law could discourage assaults on police animals, helping safeguard valuable law enforcement resources and the officers who work with them.
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Increase Penalty for Killing Police Dog
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Tougher Penalty for Police Animal Killers
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor James Tedisco
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8748
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
November 25, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BRABENEC -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to elevating the severity of the felony offense of killing a police work dog or police work horse and establishing the class E felony offense of injuring a police work dog or police work horse
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The closing paragraph of section 195.06-a of the penal law, as added by chapter 162 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
Killing a police work dog or police work horse is a class [E] D felony.
§ 2. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 195.06-b to read as follows: § 195.06-b Injuring a police work dog or police work horse.
A person is guilty of injuring a police work dog or police work horse when such person intentionally causes serious physical injury to a police work dog or police work horse while such dog or horse is in the performance of its duties and under the supervision of a police officer. For purposes of this section, "police work dog" or "police work horse," as the case may be, shall mean any dog or horse owned or harbored by any state or municipal police department or any state or federal law enforcement agency, which has been trained to aid law enforcement officers and is actually being used for police work purposes.
Injuring a police work dog or police work horse is a class E felony.
§ 3. This act shall take effect the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03857-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.