(a) Illegal to taunt police animals.--It shall be unlawful for a person to intentionally or knowingly taunt, torment, tease, beat, kick or strike a police animal. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits a felony of the third degree.
(b) Illegal to torture or kill police animals.--It shall be unlawful for a person to:
(1) Intentionally or knowingly torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison or kill a police animal. A person who violates the provisions of this paragraph commits a felony of the second degree.
(2) Recklessly torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison or kill a police animal. A person who violates the provisions of this paragraph commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(b.1) Illegal to torture or kill police animals during perpetration of felony.--It shall be unlawful for a person to torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison or kill a police animal while engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits a felony of the third degree.
(c) Restitution.--In a case in which a defendant is convicted of a violation of subsection (a), (b) or (b.1), the defendant shall be ordered to make restitution to the agency or individual owning the animal for veterinary bills, for replacement costs of the animal if it is disabled or killed and for the salary of the animal's handler for the period of time the handler's services are lost to the agency.
(July 11, 2022, P.L.719, No.60, eff. 60 days)
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 55 - Riot, Disorderly Conduct and Related Offenses
Section 5502 - Failure of disorderly persons to disperse upon official order
Section 5503 - Disorderly conduct
Section 5504 - Harassment and stalking by communication or address (Repealed)
Section 5505 - Public drunkenness and similar misconduct
Section 5506 - Loitering and prowling at night time
Section 5507 - Obstructing highways and other public passages
Section 5508 - Disrupting meetings and processions
Section 5509 - Desecration, theft or sale of venerated objects
Section 5510 - Abuse of corpse
Section 5511 - Cruelty to animals (Repealed)
Section 5511.1 - Live animals as prizes prohibited (Repealed)
Section 5511.2 - Police animals (Repealed)
Section 5511.3 - Assault with a biological agent on animal, fowl or honey bees (Repealed)
Section 5513 - Gambling devices, gambling, etc
Section 5514 - Pool selling and bookmaking
Section 5515 - Prohibiting of paramilitary training
Section 5516 - Facsimile weapons of mass destruction
Section 5517 - Unauthorized school bus entry
Section 5532 - Neglect of animal
Section 5533 - Cruelty to animal
Section 5534 - Aggravated cruelty to animal
Section 5535 - Attack of service, guide or support dog
Section 5536 - Tethering of unattended dog
Section 5537 - Selling or using disabled horse
Section 5538 - Transporting animals in cruel manner
Section 5539 - Transporting equine animals in cruel manner
Section 5540 - Hours of labor of animals
Section 5541 - Cruelty to cow to enhance appearance of udder
Section 5542 - Animal mutilation and related offenses
Section 5543 - Animal fighting
Section 5544 - Possession of animal fighting paraphernalia
Section 5545 - Killing homing pigeons
Section 5546 - Skinning of and selling or buying pelts of dogs and cats
Section 5547 - Live animals as prizes prohibited
Section 5549 - Assault with a biological agent on animal, fowl or honey bees
Section 5550 - Fine and term of imprisonment for summary offense
Section 5551 - Power to initiate criminal proceedings
Section 5552 - Seizure of animals kept or used for animal fighting
Section 5553 - Search warrants
Section 5555 - Prohibition of ownership
Section 5557 - Civil immunity for humane society police officers
Section 5558 - Representation of humane society by attorney
Section 5559 - Construction of subchapter