Assembly Bill 239 seeks 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," which refers to dogs trained by recognized agencies to locate lost individuals and disaster victims. It amends the title of the relevant statute to include "search and rescue dogs" and specifies that the prohibitions against harassment, intimidation, and abuse now apply to these dogs as well.

Additionally, the bill revises penalties for violations against these animals. It maintains the existing penalties for harming police and fire animals while extending the same classifications of offenses to include search and rescue dogs. This includes a Class B forfeiture for general violations, a Class A misdemeanor for knowing violations, a Class I felony for causing injury, and a Class H felony for causing death to the animal. The bill emphasizes the importance of protecting these vital service animals and ensures that violators face appropriate legal consequences.

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