Requires the division of criminal justice services to establish a veterinary care program to care for retired law enforcement dogs in the service of or utilized by law enforcement agencies and retired fire investigation.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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10422
IN SENATE
May 15, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sens. MARTINEZ, BYNOE -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to care for retired law
enforcement and fire investigation dogs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 844 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 844. Care for retired law enforcement and fire investigation dogs.
4 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms
5 shall have the following meanings:
6 (a) "Retired law enforcement dog" shall mean a dog that was previously
7 in the service of or utilized by a law enforcement agency or a correc-
8 tional agency in this state for the principal purpose of aiding in the
9 detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of
10 offenders and that received certification issued by the division or by
11 the division of state police attesting to the satisfactory completion of
12 a police canine training program.
13 (b) "Retired fire investigation dog" shall mean a dog previously in
14 the service of or utilized by a fire department as an ignitable liquid
15 detection canine or otherwise trained to assist in fire investigation
16 and that received certification issued by the office of fire prevention
17 and control within the division of homeland security and emergency
18 services or through another recognized fire investigation canine train-
19 ing program attesting to the satisfactory completion of such training.
20 (c) "Law enforcement agency" shall mean any agency or department of
21 any municipality, any police district, or any agency, department,
22 commission, authority or public benefit corporation in the state employ-
23 ing a police officer or police officers as that term is defined in
24 subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law.
25 (d) "Correctional agency" shall mean any agency or department operated
26 by the state, a county, municipality, or city of New York having primary
27 responsibility for the supervision, protection, care, custody, control,
28 or investigation of incarcerated individuals in the state employing
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15170-04-6
S. 10422 2
1 police officers as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision thirty-four
2 of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law or peace officers as that
3 term is defined in subdivision twenty-five of section 2.10 of the crimi-
4 nal procedure law.
5 (e) "Fire department" shall mean any department, agency, or unit of a
6 county, city, town, village, or fire district providing fire protection
7 or fire investigation services in this state, whether composed of paid
8 or volunteer firefighters, and may be composed of one or more fire
9 companies as defined in section three of the volunteer firefighters'
10 benefit law.
11 (f) "Veterinary care" shall mean the practice, by a veterinarian, of
12 veterinary medicine as defined in article one hundred thirty-five of the
13 education law. The term shall also include but not be limited to annual
14 wellness examinations, vaccinations, internal and external parasite
15 prevention treatments, testing and treatment of illnesses and diseases,
16 medications, emergency care and surgeries, physical therapy, veterinary
17 oncology or other specialty care, euthanasia, and cremation.
18 2. The division shall establish a veterinary care program for the care
19 of retired law enforcement and fire investigation dogs and shall promul-
20 gate rules and regulations to effectuate such program.
21 3. The program shall cover the cost of veterinary care for retired law
22 enforcement and fire investigation dogs for the remainder of the life-
23 time of such dogs provided the law enforcement agency, correctional
24 agency, or fire department elects to participate in such program.
25 4. The law enforcement agency, correctional agency or fire department
26 where such retired law enforcement or fire investigation dog served or
27 was utilized shall elect to participate in the program established
28 pursuant to subdivision two of this section.
29 5. In order to be eligible for such program, the handler or adopter of
30 such retired law enforcement or fire investigation dog shall provide
31 proof that the dog was in service as a law enforcement or fire investi-
32 gation dog for at least:
33 (a) five years; or
34 (b) was taken out of service due to an injury to the dog; or
35 (c) was taken out of service due to the dog being trained in THC
36 detection as a law enforcement dog.
37 6. A handler or adopter of an eligible law enforcement or fire inves-
38 tigation dog shall be entitled to be reimbursed for the cost of veteri-
39 nary care upon submission of a valid invoice from a veterinarian.
40 § 2. The program established by section 844 of the executive law, as
41 added by section one of this act shall be subject to an appropriation to
42 the division of criminal justice services out of any moneys in the state
43 treasury in the general fund.
44 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
45 the date on which it shall have become a law.
