LEO K9 Protection Act

This Act may be cited as the “LEO K9 Protection Act”.

Section 1368 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

“(b) Whoever, in the commission of any act described in subsection (a), uses a deadly or dangerous weapon (including a weapon intended to cause death or danger but that fails to do so by reason of a defective component), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.

(c) In this section, the term “police animal” means a dog or horse in the service of a Federal agency (whether in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch), or in the service of a State, county, or local agency that is assisting a Federal agency—

(1) for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or the apprehension of criminal offenders, the detection of flammable materials, the investigation of fires, the detection of missing persons (including persons who are lost, who are trapped under debris as the result of a natural, manmade, or technological disaster, or who are drowning victims); or

(2) used in any official military capacity by the Department of Defense.

(d) This section does not apply to a person who acts in good faith to provide emergency veterinary care to an injured police animal.”.

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Office of Emergency Medical Services Initiatives at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, shall publish guidance for emergency medical services personnel in order to care for police dogs injured while such police dog is engaged in official duties of the dog. The Secretary shall develop such guidance using existing Federal guidelines of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care Guidelines, and other resources already available at Federal agencies. The Secretary may consult accredited veterinarians, as necessary, in developing the guidance under this section.

Not later than 240 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate regulations to ensure that—

(1) a police dog injured while such police dog is engaged in official duties of the dog may be transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility if there is no individual requiring medical attention or transport at that time; and

(2) a paramedic or an emergency medical technician may provide emergency medical care to a police dog while such police dog is engaged in official duties of the dog while at the scene of the emergency or while the police dog is being transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility.

In this Act, the term “police dog” means a police animal (as such term is defined in section 1368 of title 18, United States Code) that is a dog, and includes a similar dog working in the service of a State, county, or local agency.