§ 21-649.1. Certain acts against police dog or police horse prohibited - Penalties.

A.  No person shall willfully torture, torment, beat, mutilate, injure, disable, or otherwise mistreat a police dog or police horse owned, or the service of which is employed, by a law enforcement agency of the state or political subdivision of the state.

B.  No person shall willfully interfere with the lawful performance of any police dog or police horse.

C.  Except as provided in subsection D of this section, any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by the imposition of a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

D.  Any person who knowingly and willfully and without lawful cause or justification violates the provisions of this section, during the commission of a misdemeanor or felony, shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by the imposition of a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary not exceeding two (2) years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 54, § 2, eff. July 1, 1986.  Amended by Laws 1990, c. 75, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 220, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 127, eff. July 1, 1999.

Note

NOTE:  Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 220 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.