Injuring or Interfering with a Police Service Animal

Police officers and other law officials consider police service animals a very crucial and therefore
respectable part of the force. Police service animals are usually dogs and horses and are trained for
the purposes of handling police procedures and many times going into situations that are too risky for
police officers. Most of these animals spend years in training, have been bred for police service procedures,
and are respected by their owners.

When a person decides to interfere with a police service animal, he or she runs the risk of being charged
with a Class A, B, or C misdemeanor. He or she may be charged with a state felony if he or she injured
or killed one of these animals. If a person decides to release an animal from a police squad car, kennel,
or other area, he or she can also be charged.

A person can be charged with interference with a police service animal if he or she:

• Taunts or hits the animal
• Releases the animal from its confinement
• Throws an object at the animal with the intent to harm or disorient it
• Causes the handler (police officer) to lose control of the animal or keeps the handler from being able
  to regain control of the animal
• Feeds the animal or obstructs the environment around the animal
• Injures or kills the animal

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been accused of injuring or interfering with a police service animal,
contact the Milwaukee criminal defense lawyers of Hart Powell, S.C. at (414) 271-9595 for the representation you need.