Florida Senate - 2012                                     SB 358
       
       
       
       By Senator Fasano
       
       
       
       
       11-00400-12                                            2012358__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to police dogs; requiring law
    3         enforcement agencies to provide specified veterinary
    4         services, including cremation services, for police
    5         dogs that have retired from the agency’s service;
    6         defining terms; providing an effective date.
    7  
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Retired police dogs; veterinary services.—
   11         (1) Each law enforcement agency shall provide all police
   12  dogs retired from the agency’s service with veterinary care for
   13  the remainder of the dog’s life. This requirement is effective
   14  upon the transfer of ownership of the dog from the law
   15  enforcement agency to the former handler or adopter of the dog.
   16         (2) As used in this section, the term:
   17         (a) “Law enforcement agency” means a state agency or
   18  political subdivision having primary responsibility for the
   19  prevention and detection of crime or the enforcement of the
   20  penal, traffic, game, regulatory, or highway laws of this state
   21  if its agents and officers are empowered by law to conduct
   22  criminal investigations and make arrests.
   23         (b) “Police dog” means any dog that is owned, or the
   24  service of which is employed, by a law enforcement agency for
   25  the principal purpose of aiding in:
   26         1. The detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws,
   27  or apprehension of offenders; or
   28         2. The detection of missing persons, including, but not
   29  limited to, persons who are lost; who are trapped under debris
   30  as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster;
   31  or who are drowning victims.
   32         (c) “Veterinary care” means annual wellness examinations,
   33  vaccines, internal and external parasite prevention, testing and
   34  treatment for illnesses and diseases, medication, emergency care
   35  and surgeries, and euthanasia, if each such service is provided
   36  by a licensed veterinarian or a specialist referred by a
   37  licensed veterinarian. The term also includes cremation
   38  services.
   39         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.