Assembly Bill 239 aims to enhance the legal protections for search and rescue dogs by expanding existing laws that currently protect police and fire animals. The bill introduces a new definition for "search and rescue dog," specifying that it refers to dogs trained by recognized agencies to locate lost individuals and disaster victims. The amendments to current law include changes to the title of the relevant statute, which will now read "Harassment of police and fire animals and search and rescue dogs," and the inclusion of search and rescue dogs in the list of animals protected from harassment, abuse, and intimidation.

Additionally, the bill outlines the penalties for violations against these animals. It maintains the existing penalties for harming police and fire animals while extending the same classifications to search and rescue dogs. This includes a Class B forfeiture for general violations, a Class A misdemeanor for intentional or negligent violations with knowledge of the animal's status, a Class I felony for causing injury, and a Class H felony for causing death. The bill emphasizes the importance of protecting these animals, which play critical roles in public safety and emergency response.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 951.095(title), 951.095, 951.095(1)(intro.), 951.095(2)(b), 951.18(2m), 951.18