TITLE 16.  CRIMES AND OFFENSES  
CHAPTER 11.  OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY  
ARTICLE 4.  DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTALITIES AND PRACTICES  
PART 1.  GENERAL PROVISIONS

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-107  (2014)

§ 16-11-107.  Destroying or injuring police dog or police horse 


   (a) As used in this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Accelerant detection dog" means a dog trained to detect hydrocarbon substances.

   (2) "Bomb detection dog" means a dog trained to locate bombs or explosives by scent.

   (3) "Firearms detection dog" means a dog trained to locate firearms by scent.

   (4) "Narcotic detection dog" means a dog trained to locate narcotics by scent.

   (5) "Narcotics" means any controlled substance as defined in paragraph (4) of Code Section 16-13-21 and shall include marijuana as defined by paragraph (16) of Code Section 16-13-21.

   (6) "Patrol dog" means a dog trained to protect a peace officer and to apprehend or hold without excessive force a person in violation of the criminal statutes of this state.

   (7) "Police dog" means a bomb detection dog, a firearms detection dog, a narcotic detection dog, a patrol dog, an accelerant detection dog, or a tracking dog used by a law enforcement agency. "Police dog" also means a search and rescue dog.

   (8) "Police horse" means a horse trained to transport, carry, or be ridden by a law enforcement officer and used by a law enforcement agency.

   (8.1) "Search and rescue dog" means any dog that is owned or the services of which are employed by a fire department or the state fire marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of missing persons, including but not limited to persons who are lost, who are trapped under debris as a result of a natural or manmade disaster, or who are drowning victims.

   (9) "Tracking dog" means a dog trained to track and find a missing person, escaped inmate, or fleeing felon.

(b) Any person who knowingly and intentionally destroys or causes serious or debilitating physical injury to a police dog or police horse, knowing said dog to be a police dog or said horse to be a police horse, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or a fine not to exceed $10,000.00, or both. This subsection shall not apply to the destruction of a police dog or police horse for humane purposes.

HISTORY: Code 1981, § 16-11-107, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 528, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 370, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 778, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 657, § 1.2.