§ 12.1-17-09 — Killing or injury of law enforcement support animal - Definition - Penalty

1. A person is guilty of a class C felony and is subject to a civil penalty of up to ten
thousand dollars if that person willfully and unjustifiably kills, shoots, tortures,
torments, beats, kicks, strikes, mutilates, disables, or otherwise injures a law
enforcement support animal.
2. A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor and is subject to a civil penalty of up to
five thousand dollars if that person willfully:
a. Harasses, taunts, or provokes a law enforcement support animal;
b. Interferes with a law enforcement support animal while the animal is working; or
c. Interferes with the individual handling the animal.
3. For purposes of this section, "law enforcement support animal" means any animal
used by or on behalf of a law enforcement officer in the performance of the officer's
functions and duties, including crowd control, corrections, arson investigation, or
search and rescue, regardless of whether the animal is on or off duty.
4. This section does not apply to a law enforcement officer or a veterinarian who
terminates the life of a law enforcement support animal to relieve the animal of undue
suffering and pain.