One Florida senator has filed a bill to increase the penalty for harming police canines, fire canines and search and rescue canines, along with police horses.
The bill was filed by State Senator Aaron Bean in honor of K-9 Fang, who was shot and killed in the line of duty with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, WPLG reports.
SB 96 would change harming any law enforcement canine to a second-degree felony, punishable to up to 15 years in prison, instead of 5 as it was before.
The bill was filed Tuesday.
"I think everybody was shocked to find out it’s only a third-degree felony to murder a police dog or a police horse, and so we’re going to change that," said Bean. “A second-degree felony is where we want it to be to give our prosecutors ample resources to hold people accountable.”
If the bill passes, it would take effect on Oct. 1, 2019.
