The Florida Senate

843.19  Injuring or killing police dog, fire dog, SAR dog, or police horse prohibited; penalty.--

(1)  As used in this section, the term:

(a)  "Police dog" means any dog, and "police horse" means any horse, that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a law enforcement agency for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders.

(b)  "Fire dog" means any dog that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a fire department, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of flammable materials or the investigation of fires.

(c)  "SAR dog" means any search and rescue dog that is owned, or the service of which is utilized, by a fire department, a law enforcement agency, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of missing persons, including, but not limited to, persons who are lost, who are trapped under debris as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster, or who are drowning victims.

(2)  Any person who knowingly and willfully and without lawful cause or justification inflicts bodily harm, permanent disability, or death upon a police dog, fire dog, SAR dog, or police horse commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084

History.--s. 1, ch. 81-43; s. 1, ch. 84-187; s. 2, ch. 93-20; s. 2, ch. 97-61.