750.50c Police dog or police horse; definitions; violation as felony or misdemeanor; penalty; other violations.

Sec. 50c.

    (1) As used in this section:

    (a) "Dog handler" means a peace officer who has successfully completed training in the handling of a police dog pursuant to a policy of the law enforcement agency that employs that peace officer.

    (b) "Physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition.

    (c) "Police dog" means a dog used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state that is trained for law enforcement work and subject to the control of a dog handler.

    (d) "Police horse" means a horse used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state for law enforcement work.

    (e) "Search and rescue dog" means a dog that is trained for, being trained for, or engaged in a search and rescue operation.

    (f) "Search and rescue operation" means an effort conducted at the direction of an agency of this state or of a political subdivision of this state to locate or rescue a lost, injured, or deceased individual.

    (g) "Serious physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition or welfare that is not necessarily permanent but that constitutes substantial body disfigurement, or that seriously impairs the function of a body organ or limb.

    (2) A person shall not intentionally kill or cause serious physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog.

    (3) A person shall not intentionally cause physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog.

    (4) A person shall not intentionally harass or interfere with a police dog or police horse or search and rescue dog lawfully performing its duties.

    (5) A person who violates subsection (2) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.

    (6) Except as provided in subsection (7), a person who violates subsection (3) or (4) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.

    (7) A person who violates subsection (3) or (4) while committing a crime is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $15,000.00, or both.

    (8) This section does not prohibit an individual from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that individual while violating this section.