Florida legal term
Fire canine in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Fire canine” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Fire canine” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Fire canine” means any canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a fire department, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of flammable materials or the investigation of fires.(c) “SAR canine” means any search and rescue canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a fire department, a law enforcement agency, a correctional agency, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of missing persons, including, but not limited to, persons (Fla. Stat. § 843.19)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.