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Florida statute

Fla. Stat. § 843.19 — Offenses against police canines, fire canines, SAR canines, or police horses

Current through 2025 Florida Statutes

Part of Chapter 843: Obstructing Justice, Florida Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Fla. Stat. § 843.19

Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.

Fla. Stat. § 843.19Primary source, current through the 2025 Florida Statutes
(1) As used in this section, the term:(a) “Police canine” means any canine, and “police horse” means any horse, that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a law enforcement agency or a correctional agency for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders.(b) “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 who are lost, who are trapped under debris as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster, or who are drowning victims. (2) Any person who 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 commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. (3) Any person who actually and intentionally maliciously touches, strikes, or causes bodily harm to a police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. (4) Any person who 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 in the performance of its duties commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. (5) A person convicted of an offense under this section shall make restitution for injuries caused to the police canine, fire canine, SAR canine, or police horse and shall pay the replacement cost of the animal if, as a result of the offense, the animal can no longer perform its duties.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

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))

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).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.