LEO K9 Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bean (FL)
Introduced
Summary
Stronger federal protections for police animals. This bill would make attacking working dogs and horses a federal offense with tougher penalties, define which animals count as police animals and police dogs, and require federal guidance and rules so emergency responders can treat and transport injured police dogs.
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- Defines who is covered and when help is allowed. It says a "police animal" is a dog or horse serving a Federal agency, a State, county, or local agency assisting a Federal agency, or used in an official Department of Defense role, and it exempts people acting in good faith to provide emergency veterinary care.
- Raises criminal consequences for violent acts during covered offenses. Using a deadly or dangerous weapon against a police animal in the listed acts would be punishable by fines or up to 15 years in prison.
- Adds EMS rules and timelines. The Secretary of Transportation, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration emergency medical services office, would have 180 days to publish guidance and 240 days to issue regulations letting paramedics or EMTs treat and transport injured police dogs to veterinary clinics when no person needs immediate care.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Harsher penalties for harming police animals
If enacted, this would make using a deadly or dangerous weapon to injure a police animal a federal crime. Offenders could face a fine, up to 15 years in prison, or both. It would cover weapons meant to be deadly even if a defect stopped them. It would not apply to someone acting in good faith to give emergency veterinary care. These rules would take effect upon enactment.
Defines police animals and police dogs
If enacted, the bill would define a “police animal” as a dog or horse serving a federal agency, a state or local agency when assisting a federal agency, or used by DoD in an official military role. Covered work would include detecting crime, enforcing laws, fire investigation, and finding missing or disaster victims. A “police dog” would be a police animal that is a dog. These definitions would apply upon enactment.
EMS care and transport for police dogs
If enacted, the Transportation Secretary, through NHTSA’s Office of EMS, would publish guidance for caring for injured police dogs within 180 days. The guidance would use DHS, DoD, and Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care resources, with veterinarians consulted as needed. Within 240 days, rules would allow EMS to transport an injured police dog when no person needs care. Paramedics and EMTs would be allowed to give emergency care to a police dog at the scene or during transport to a veterinary clinic.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Cosponsors
Mills
FL • R
Sponsored 7/25/2025
Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]
NY • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov