Proposed law makes it a felony to hurt a police dog or horse

Two California legislators are trying to improve protections for police dogs and horses who get hurt in the line of duty.

Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, and state Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, held a press conference Thursday at the Fresno police training field to discuss the status of Senate Bill 911, the Police Dog Protection Act of 2018.

The measure would make it a felony to intentionally kill or inflict serious injury to a police dog or police horse in the line of duty. Currently such action could either be a misdemeanor or felony charge.

The bill comes after two Visalia police dogs were hurt on the job earlier this month, and a Kings County sheriff’s K9 was shot in November.

This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Proposed law makes it a felony to hurt a police dog or horse."