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New Jersey statute

N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1 — Animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties

Current through P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22

Part of Chapter 29, New Jersey Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1

Statutory text current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22. This publication reproduces the official text of the New Jersey Statutes from the statute files published by the New Jersey Legislature; it is not the official statutes of the State of New Jersey.

N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1Primary source, current through the P.L.2025, c.346, and J.R.22
1. a. Any person who purposely kills a dog, horse or other animal owned or used by a law enforcement agency or a search and rescue dog shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree, and shall be sentenced by the court to a term of imprisonment. The term of imprisonment shall include the imposition of a minimum term. The minimum term shall be fixed at five years, during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole. In addition, the court shall impose a fine of $15,000. b. Any person who purposely maims or otherwise inflicts harm upon a dog, horse or other animal owned or used by a law enforcement agency or a search and rescue dog shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. c. Any person who purposely threatens to kill, maim or otherwise inflict harm upon a dog, horse or other animal owned or used by a law enforcement agency or a search and rescue dog, under circumstances reasonably causing the person to whom the threat is made to believe that it is likely that it will be carried out, shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. d. Any person who interferes with any law enforcement officer using an animal in the performance of his official duties commits a disorderly persons offense, subject to a sentence of six months' imprisonment, some or all of which may be community service, restitution and a $1,000 fine. As used in this section, "search and rescue dog" means any dog trained or being trained for the purpose of search and rescue that is owned by an independent handler or member of a search and rescue team, and used in conjunction with local law enforcement or emergency services organizations for the purpose of locating missing persons or evidence of arson. L.1983, c.261, s.1; amended 1999, c.14; 2005, c.24; 2011, c.77; 2013, c.137.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What degree of offense is animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties in New Jersey?

It depends on the circumstances: animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties ranges from a disorderly persons offense to a crime of the third degree in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1.

Purposely killing law enforcement/search and rescue animal: crime of the third degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1) · Purposely maiming or inflicting harm: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1) · Purposely threatening to kill, maim or harm: crime of the fourth degree (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1) · Interference with law enforcement officer using animal: disorderly persons offense (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1)

Which New Jersey statute covers animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties?

Animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3.1 (Animal owned, used by law enforcement agency, search and rescue dog, harming, threatening, interference with officer, degree of crime, penalties).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.