House Bill 16-1348 Summary

• Establishes "certified police working dog" as a dog with current certification from a state or national agency and part of a working law enforcement team, and includes such dogs within animal cruelty statutes.

• Defines "serious physical harm" for purposes of animal cruelty law as physical harm carrying substantial risk of death, permanent maiming or temporary substantial maiming, or acute pain resulting in substantial suffering.

• Makes cruelty to a certified police working dog a class 1 misdemeanor with mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 and required anger management treatment for second or subsequent offenses.

• Requires courts to order restitution for all immediate and ongoing veterinary expenses and replacement costs if the dog is permanently disabled or killed, plus training and certification costs if cruelty involved malicious intent.

• Extends immunity from civil liability to persons who report suspected cruelty incidents involving animals, service animals, or certified police working dogs to law enforcement or state animal protection agencies.