Florida criminal charge
Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses in Florida
Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses is a criminal offense under Florida law, defined by Fla. Stat. § 843.19. Its classification is not fixed: Florida assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by Fla. Stat. § 843.19.
What is the penalty for offenses against police canines, fire canines, sar canines, or police horses in Florida?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 15 years (Great bodily harm, permanent disability, death, or deadly weapon use against police/fire/SAR canine or police horse — A person 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.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Great bodily harm, permanent disability, death, or deadly weapon use against police/fire/SAR canine or police horse — A person 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.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Malicious touching, striking, or causing bodily harm to police/fire/SAR canine or police horse — A person actually and intentionally maliciously touches, strikes, or causes bodily harm to a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Malicious touching, striking, or causing bodily harm to police/fire/SAR canine or police horse — A person actually and intentionally maliciously touches, strikes, or causes bodily harm to a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Harassing or interfering with a police/fire/SAR canine or police horse on duty — A person 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 performing its duties.; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Harassing or interfering with a police/fire/SAR canine or police horse on duty — A person 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 performing its duties.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
Applies to current (2025 Florida Statutes).
How is offenses against police canines, fire canines, sar canines, or police horses classified in Florida?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great bodily harm, permanent disability, death, or deadly weapon use against police/fire/SAR canine or police horse | Felony of the Second Degree | A person 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. | Fla. Stat. § 843.19(2) |
| Malicious touching, striking, or causing bodily harm to police/fire/SAR canine or police horse | Felony of the Third Degree | A person actually and intentionally maliciously touches, strikes, or causes bodily harm to a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse. | Fla. Stat. § 843.19(3) |
| Harassing or interfering with a police/fire/SAR canine or police horse on duty | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | A person 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 performing its duties. | Fla. Stat. § 843.19(4) |
Common questions about offenses against police canines, fire canines, sar canines, or police horses in Florida
Is offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Second Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 843.19.
Great bodily harm, permanent disability, death, or deadly weapon use against police/fire/SAR canine or police horse: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 843.19(2)) · Malicious touching, striking, or causing bodily harm to police/fire/SAR canine or police horse: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 843.19(3)) · Harassing or interfering with a police/fire/SAR canine or police horse on duty: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 843.19(4))
What are the penalties for offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses in Florida?
Penalties for offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses in Florida depend on how it is classified — from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree up to a Felony of the Second Degree — with the ranges set by Fla. Stat. § 775.082; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Florida statute covers offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses?
Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses is governed by Fla. Stat. § 843.19 (Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.