750.50c Police dog or police horse; definitions; violation as felony or misdemeanor; penalty; other violations.Sec. 50c. (1) As used in this section: (a) 'Dog handler' means a peace officer who has successfully completed training in the handling of a police dog pursuant to a policy of the law enforcement agency that employs that peace officer. (b) 'Physical harm' means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition. (c) 'Police dog' means a dog used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state that is trained for law enforcement work and subject to the control of a dog handler. (d) 'Police horse' means a horse used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state for law enforcement work. (e) 'Search and rescue dog' means a dog that is trained for, being trained for, or engaged in a search and rescue operation. (f) 'Search and rescue operation' means an effort conducted at the direction of an agency of this state or of a political subdivision of this state to locate or rescue a lost, injured, or deceased individual. ch and rescue operation' means an effort conducted at the direction of an agency of this state or of a political subdivision of this state to locate or rescue a lost, injured, or deceased individual. (g) 'Serious physical harm' means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition or welfare that is not necessarily permanent but that constitutes substantial body disfigurement, or that seriously impairs the function of a body organ or limb. (2) A person shall not intentionally kill or cause serious physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog. (3) A person shall not intentionally cause physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog. (4) A person shall not intentionally harass or interfere with a police dog or police horse or search and rescue dog lawfully performing its duties. (5) A person who violates subsection (2) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both. (6) Except as provided in subsection (7), a person who violates subsection (3) or (4) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more 00, or both. (6) Except as provided in subsection (7), a person who violates subsection (3) or (4) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both. (7) A person who violates subsection (3) or (4) while committing a crime is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $15,000.00, or both. (8) This section does not prohibit an individual from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that individual while violating this section. History: Add. 1994, Act 336, Eff. Apr. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 672, Eff. Mar. 31, 2003 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 517, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 2006
Michigan Legal Code