§ 750.50cPolice dog or police horse; definitions; violation as felony or misdemeanor;

penalty; other violations.
 Sec. 50c.
    (1) As used in this section:
    (a) "Dog handler" means a peace officer who has successfully completed training in the
 handling of a police dog pursuant to a policy of the law enforcement agency that employs that
 peace officer.
    (b) "Physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition.
    (c) "Police dog" means a dog used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local
 unit of government of this state that is trained for law enforcement work and subject to the
 control of a dog handler.
    (d) "Police horse" means a horse used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a
 local unit of government of this state for law enforcement work.
    (e) "Search and rescue dog" means a dog that is trained for, being trained for, or engaged in
 a search and rescue operation.
    (f) "Search and rescue operation" means an effort conducted at the direction of an agency of
 this state or of a political subdivision of this state to locate or rescue a lost, injured, or
 deceased individual.
    (g) "Serious physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition or
 welfare that is not necessarily permanent but that constitutes substantial body disfigurement,
 or that seriously impairs the function of a body organ or limb.
    (2) A person shall not intentionally kill or cause serious physical harm to a police dog or
 police horse or a search and rescue dog.
    (3) A person shall not intentionally cause physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a
 search and rescue dog.
    (4) A person shall not intentionally harass or interfere with a police dog or police horse or
 search and rescue dog lawfully performing its duties.
    (5) A person who violates subsection (2) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment
 for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.


                                                                    Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 91 of 2026
Rendered Sunday, September 6, 2026              Page 33 of 465                               Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

    (6) Except as provided in subsection (7), a person who violates subsection (3) or (4) is
 guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not
 more than $5,000.00, or both.
    (7) A person who violates subsection (3) or (4) while committing a crime is guilty of a
 felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than
 $15,000.00, or both.
    (8) This section does not prohibit an individual from being charged with, convicted of, or
 punished for any other violation of law committed by that individual while violating this
 section.