1997 Minnesota Statutes

     609.596 Killing or harming a police, corrections or 
  arson dog. 

    Subdivision 1.    Felony.  Whoever intentionally and 
 without justification causes the death of a police dog or an 
 arson dog when the dog is involved in law enforcement, fire, or 
 correctional investigation or apprehension, or the dog is in the 
 custody of or under the control of a peace officer, as defined 
 in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), or an employee 
 of a correctional facility, as defined in section 241.021, 
 subdivision 1, clause (5), is guilty of a felony and may be 
 sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to 
 payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.  In lieu of 
 a fine, the court may order a defendant convicted under this 
 subdivision to pay restitution to the affected agency to replace 
 the police dog or arson dog, in an amount not to exceed $5,000. 

    Subd. 2.    Gross misdemeanor.  Whoever intentionally 
 and without justification causes substantial or great bodily 
 harm to a police dog or an arson dog when the dog is involved in 
 law enforcement, fire, or correctional investigation or 
 apprehension, or the dog is in the custody of or under the 
 control of a peace officer or an employee of a correctional 
 facility, as defined in section 241.021, subdivision 1, clause 
 (5), is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. 

    Subd. 3.    Definition.  As used in this section, "arson 
 dog" means a dog that has been certified as an arson dog by a 
 state fire or police agency or by an independent testing 
 laboratory. 

    HIST: 1987 c 167 s 1; 1996 c 408 art 3 s 35