Directs the division of criminal justice services to establish a program for the care of retired law enforcement dogs which shall cover the cost of veterinary care for retired law enforcement dogs for the remainder of the lifetime of such dogs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2041
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. MURRAY, MARTINEZ -- 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 providing for the care
of retired law enforcement 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 dogs. 1. Definitions. For the
4 purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following
5 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) "Law enforcement agency" shall mean any agency or department of
14 any municipality, any police district, or any agency, department,
15 commission, authority or public benefit corporation of the state employ-
16 ing a police officer or police officers as that term is defined in
17 subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law.
18 (c) "Correctional agency" shall mean any place operated by the state,
19 county or city of New York having primary responsibility for the super-
20 vision, protection, care, custody, control, or investigation of incar-
21 cerated individuals of the state employing police officers as defined in
22 paragraph (b) of subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal
23 procedure law or peace officers as that term is defined in subdivision
24 twenty-five of section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05766-01-5
S. 2041 2
1 (d) "Veterinary care" shall mean the practice, by a veterinarian, of
2 veterinary medicine as defined in article one hundred thirty-five of the
3 education law. The term shall also include but not be limited to annual
4 wellness examinations, vaccinations, internal and external parasite
5 prevention treatments, testing and treatment of illnesses and diseases,
6 medications, emergency care and surgeries, physical therapy, veterinary
7 oncology or other specialty care, euthanasia, and cremation.
8 2. The division shall establish a program for the care of retired law
9 enforcement dogs and shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectu-
10 ate such program.
11 3. The program shall cover the cost of veterinary care for retired law
12 enforcement dogs for the remainder of the lifetime of such dogs.
13 4. In order to be eligible for the program, the handler or adopter of
14 the retired law enforcement dog shall provide proof that the dog was in
15 service as a law enforcement dog for at least:
16 (a) five years; or
17 (b) was taken out of service due to an injury to the dog; or
18 (c) was taken out of service due to the dog being trained in THC
19 detection.
20 5. A handler or adopter of an eligible law enforcement dog shall be
21 entitled to be reimbursed for the cost of veterinary care upon
22 submission of a valid invoice from a veterinarian.
23 § 2. The program established by section 844 of the executive law, as
24 added by section one of this act shall be subject to an appropriation to
25 the division of criminal justice services out of any moneys in the state
26 treasury in the general fund.
27 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
28 the date on which it shall have become a law.
