"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Legislation", name: title, url: fullUrl, jurisdiction: { "@type": "AdministrativeArea", name: 'United States' }, legislationIdentifier: meta.section_number, legislationType: 'Statute', isPartOf: { "@type": "Legislation", name: 'United States Code' } })}

Title 18 of the U.S. Code § 1368 - Harming animals used in law enforcement

Full text of § 1368 from Title 18 of the United States Code.

§ 1368. Harming animals used in law enforcement

(a) Whoever willfully and maliciously harms any police animal, or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not more than 1 year. If the offense permanently disables or disfigures the animal, or causes serious bodily injury to or the death of the animal, the maximum term of imprisonment shall be 10 years.

(b) In this section, the term "police animal" means a dog or horse employed by a Federal agency (whether in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch) for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of criminal offenders.

(Added Pub. L. 106–254, §2(a), Aug. 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 638; amended Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, §4003(a)(4), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1811.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273 inserted "to" after "serious bodily injury".


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–254, §1, Aug. 2, 2000, 114 Stat. 638, provided that: "This Act [enacting this section] may be cited as the 'Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act of 2000'."

About This Section

18 U.S.C. § 1368 is part of Title 18 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 18 U.S.C. § 1368. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.

Using This Page

This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.

Sources

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source.