Senate Bill No. 339, Public Act No. 24-65, is an act that mandates restitution when a police animal or a dog in a volunteer canine search and rescue team is injured or killed. The bill amends subsections (d) and (e) of section 53-247 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes, effective October 1, 2024. The new legal language inserted into the current law requires that any person who intentionally injures or kills such an animal or dog while it is performing its duties must pay restitution to the owner, which may include the cost of veterinary services, and if necessary, the costs and expenses of purchasing and training a replacement animal or dog.

Specifically, the bill states that intentionally injuring a police animal or a search and rescue dog under supervision is a class D felony, and the perpetrator must pay restitution for veterinary services and replacement costs if the animal is unable to perform its duties. Intentionally killing a police animal or a search and rescue dog is punishable by a fine of up to ten thousand dollars, imprisonment for up to ten years, or both, and also requires the perpetrator to pay restitution for the costs and expenses of purchasing and training a replacement animal. The insertions in the bill focus on the requirement of restitution, detailing the potential costs that must be covered by the offender.