LEO K9 Protection Act

Sponsor: Aaron Bean (Republican-FL)July 25, 2025

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Increases penalties for harming police animals and requires emergency care rules for injured police dogs.

This bill would make it a more serious crime to harm police animals with a deadly weapon, increasing potential prison time to up to 15 years. It would also require the Secretary of Transportation to create new rules for paramedics and emergency medical technicians, allowing them to provide emergency care and transport injured police dogs to veterinary clinics when no person needs help.

What Would Change

Today, penalties for harming police animals exist, but the specific maximum prison time for using a deadly weapon is not 15 years, and the definition of "police animal" is different. There are also no specific federal rules from the Department of Transportation for EMS personnel to care for or transport injured police dogs. After this bill, the maximum prison sentence for using a deadly weapon against a police animal would increase to 15 years. The bill would define "police animal" more broadly, and for emergency medical care, it would define "police dog" to include any state or local agency dog. The Department of Transportation would also create guidance and regulations. These would allow paramedics and EMTs to provide emergency medical care and transport injured police dogs to veterinary clinics if no person needs medical attention.

Key Provisions

Increases the maximum prison sentence to 15 years for using a deadly weapon to harm a police animal.
Defines "police animal" to include dogs and horses working for federal agencies, state or local agencies assisting federal ones, and military animals.
Defines "police dog" more broadly for emergency medical care provisions to include any dog working for a state, county, or local agency.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to publish guidance for emergency medical personnel on how to care for injured police dogs within 180 days of the bill becoming law.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to create rules within 240 days of the bill becoming law, allowing paramedics and EMTs to provide emergency care and transport injured police dogs to veterinary clinics if no person needs medical help.

View on Congress.gov

HR 4755 · 119th Congress · July 25, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 10/10

LEO K9 Protection Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity