Title: Police Dogs

Summary: Requires law enforcement agencies to provide specified veterinary services, including cremation services, for police dogs that have retired from the agency's service, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to police dogs; requiring law enforcement agencies to provide specified veterinary services, including cremation services, for police dogs that have retired from the agency s service; defining terms; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1.  Retired police dogs; veterinary services.  (1) Each law enforcement agency shall provide all police dogs retired from the agency s service with veterinary care for the remainder of the dog s li fe.This requirement is effective upon the transfer of ownership of the dog from the law enforcement agency to the former handler or adopter of the dog. (2) As used in this section, the term: (a) Law enforcement agency  means a state agency or political subdivision having primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of crime or the enforcement of the penal, traffic, game, regulatory, or highway laws of this state if its agents and officers are empowered by law to conduct criminal investigations and make arrests. ( b) Police dog  means any dog that is owned, or the service of which is emplo yed, by a law enforcement agency for the principal purpose of aiding in: 1. The detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders; or 2. The detection of missing persons, including, but not limited to, persons who are lost; who are trapped under debris as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster; or who are drowning victims. (c) Veterinary care  means annual wellness examinations, vaccines, internal and external parasite prevention, testing and treatment for illnesses and diseases, medication, emergency care and surgeries, and euthanasia, if each such service is provided by a licensed veterinarian or a specialist referred by a licensed veterinarian. The term also includes cremation services. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.