Indiana § 35-46-3-11 - Cruelty to a law enforcement animal

§ 35-46-3-11. Cruelty to a law enforcement animal

Sec. 11. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally:

(1) strikes, torments, injures, or otherwise mistreats a law enforcement animal; or

(2) interferes with the actions of a law enforcement animal while the animal is engaged in assisting a law enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's duties;

commits a Class A misdemeanor.

(b) An offense under subsection (a)(1) is a Level 6 felony if the act results in:

(1) serious permanent disfigurement;

(2) unconsciousness; or

(3) permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ;

of the law enforcement animal.

(c) An offense under subsection (a)(1) is a level 5 felony if the act results in the death of the law enforcement animal.

(d) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section:

(1) that the accused person:

(A) engaged in a reasonable act of training, handling, or discipline; and

(B) acted as an employee or agent of a law enforcement agency; or

(2) that:

(A) the actions of the accused person were objectively reasonable and taken in good faith to protect the person or another individual from imminent injury by the law enforcement animal; and

(B) neither the accused person nor the other individual substantially contributed to the circumstances leading to the deployment of the law enforcement animal.

(e) In addition to any sentence or fine imposed for a conviction of an offense under this section, the court:

(1) may order the person convicted to make restitution to the person or law enforcement agency owning the animal for reimbursement of veterinary bills; and

(2) shall order the person convicted to make restitution to the person or law enforcement agency owning the animal for reimbursement of the cost of replacing the animal, which may include the cost of training the animal, if the animal is permanently disabled or killed.

As added by P.L.193-1987, SEC.14. Amended by P.L.213-1997, SEC.3; P.L.9-2003, SEC.2; P.L.161-2013, SEC.8; P.L.158-2013, SEC.563; P.L.168-2014, SEC.86; P.L.80-2026, SEC.10.