New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Wednesday signed two bills pertaining to police dogs. A Hudson Valley Assemblyman sponsored both.
One bill elevates to a Class E felony the killing of a police dog or police horse. Republican George Maziarz sponsored the bill in the Senate.
Maziarz and Democrat Kenneth Zebrowski, who sponsored the bill in the Assembly, point to a second police dog killing that occurred after the bill was introduced. Here’s Zebrowski:
He refers to the 2-year-old FBI dog, Ape, killed upstate in Herkimer County by a gunman who was hiding out in an abandoned bar. That gunman had fatally shot four people before he was killed. Maziarz says Ape’s death, two years after Rocky’s, drew more support for his legislation.
The law currently classifies the killing of a police animal as a Class A misdemeanor. The new law, elevating the penalty to a Class E Felony, takes effect November 1.
Zebrowski, from New City in Rockland County, sponsored another bill. It pertains to police dogs that bite someone during the course of official work.
Independent Democrat David Carlucci sponsored the bill in the Senate. Zebrowski says the Clarkstown police in his district were the impetus for the bill.
This law takes effect immediately.
