Florida Statute 843.19 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 843
OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE

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F.S. 843.19

843.19 Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses.—

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

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

(b) “Fire canine” means any canine 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 canine” means any search and rescue canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a fire department, a law enforcement agency, a correctional 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 intentionally and knowingly, without lawful cause or justification, causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or death to, or uses a deadly weapon upon, a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Any person who actually and intentionally maliciously touches, strikes, or causes bodily harm to a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4) Any person who intentionally or knowingly maliciously harasses, teases, interferes with, or attempts to interfere with a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse while the animal is in the performance of its duties commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(5) A person convicted of an offense under this section shall make restitution for injuries caused to the police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse and shall pay the replacement cost of the animal if, as a result of the offense, the animal can no longer perform its duties.

History.—s. 1, ch. 81-43; s. 1, ch. 84-187; s. 2, ch. 93-20; s. 2, ch. 97-61; s. 1, ch. 2005-139; s. 1, ch. 2019-9; s. 2, ch. 2023-110.

F.S. 843.19 on Google Scholar

F.S. 843.19 on CourtListener

Amendments to 843.19

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 843.19

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S843.19 - OBSTRUCT POLICE - REVISED. SEE REC#S 5861, 5862, 5863, 5864 - F: T

S843.19 2 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - RENUMBERED. SEE REC # 8733 - F: T

S843.19 2 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - RENUMBERED. SEE REC # 8734 - F: T

S843.19 2 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - CAUSE GREAT HARM DEATH POLICE FIRE SAR ANIMAL - F: S

S843.19 2 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - USE DEADLY WEAPON ON POLICE FIRE SAR ANIMAL - F: S

S843.19 3 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - TOUCH STRIKE CAUSE HARM POLICE FIRE SAR ANIMAL - M: F

S843.19 4 - PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES - HARASS TEASE INTERFERE POLICE FIRE SAR ANIMAL - M: S

Cases Citing Statute 843.19

Total Results: 8

Cannada v. State

472 So. 2d 1296, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1698

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 12, 1985 | Docket: 1793750

Cited 5 times | Published

charged with injury to a police dog pursuant to section 843.19, Florida Statutes (1983).[1] For a conviction

Nicor International Corp. v. El Paso Corp.

318 F. Supp. 2d 1160, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9674

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: May 25, 2004 | Docket: 2339650

Cited 4 times | Published

attempting to elude a law enforcement officer); § 843.19, Fla. Stat. (injuring or killing police dog).

T.W. v. State

98 So. 3d 238, 2012 WL 4511343, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 16732

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 3, 2012 | Docket: 60312251

Cited 3 times | Published

police dog suffered “great bodily harm” under section 843.19(2), Florida Statutes (2010), as a result of

Yarn v. State

106 So. 3d 39, 2013 WL 376055

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 1, 2013 | Docket: 60228191

Cited 1 times | Published

Yarn’s intent to commit a battery on the dog. Section 843.19(3), Florida Statutes (2009), provides that

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases - Report 2019-12

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Feb 27, 2020 | Docket: 16897138

Published

Laws of Florida, the Legislature amended section 843.19, Florida Statutes, to broaden the statute covering

R.N., A CHILD v. STATE OF FLORIDA

257 So. 3d 507

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 7, 2018 | Docket: 8146148

Published

The State charged the juvenile with violating section 843.19(4), Florida Statutes (2017), which provides

Allen v. State

211 So. 3d 55, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 83

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 4, 2017 | Docket: 60262665

Published

treat police dogs differently than, officers. Section 843.19, Florida Statutes (2014), provides that it

Bass v. State

791 So. 2d 1124, 2000 WL 1781404

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 6, 2000 | Docket: 1655789

Published

a police dog is a third degree felony under section 843.19(2). Aggravated battery on a law enforcement