The full House is considering a bill to protect police dogs, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
The Judiciary Committee last week unanimously voted to advance a bill to strengthen felony charges for anyone who deliberately harms or kills a K-9 officer in the line of duty.
House Bill 2026 would charge any individual who willfully or maliciously tortures, mutilates, injures, disables, poisons or kills a K-9 officer with a second-degree felony, punishable by a maximum fine of $25,000 and 10 years in prison. The measure was introduced in response to the fatal stabbing six weeks ago of Pittsburgh K-9 officer Rocco, whose death drew nearly 1,200 people to the funeral, including many police officers and their K-9 partners.