S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7779
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STERN, GANDOLFO, BRONSON, BURDICK, CLARK,
EPSTEIN, HEVESI, JACOBSON, JONES, KELLES, LEVENBERG, LUNSFORD, McMA-
HON, PAULIN, RAMOS, RIVERA, ROSENTHAL, SANTABARBARA, SIMON, STIRPE,
WOERNER, ZINERMAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to providing for the care
of retired law enforcement dogs
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 844 to
read as follows:
§ 844. CARE FOR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT DOGS. 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
MEANINGS:
(A) "RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG" SHALL MEAN A DOG THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY
IN THE SERVICE OF OR UTILIZED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR A CORREC-
TIONAL AGENCY IN THIS STATE FOR THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF AIDING IN THE
DETECTION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS, OR APPREHENSION OF
OFFENDERS AND THAT RECEIVED CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE DIVISION OR BY
THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE ATTESTING TO THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF
A POLICE CANINE TRAINING PROGRAM.
(B) "LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY" SHALL MEAN ANY AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT OF
ANY MUNICIPALITY, ANY POLICE DISTRICT, OR ANY AGENCY, DEPARTMENT,
COMMISSION, AUTHORITY OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION OF THE STATE EMPLOY-
ING A POLICE OFFICER OR POLICE OFFICERS AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION THIRTY-FOUR OF SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW.
(C) "CORRECTIONAL AGENCY" SHALL MEAN ANY PLACE OPERATED BY THE STATE,
COUNTY OR CITY OF NEW YORK HAVING PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUPER-
VISION, PROTECTION, CARE, CUSTODY, CONTROL, OR INVESTIGATION OF INCAR-
CERATED INDIVIDUALS OF THE STATE EMPLOYING POLICE OFFICERS AS DEFINED IN
PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION THIRTY-FOUR OF SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05766-01-5
A. 7779 2
PROCEDURE LAW OR PEACE OFFICERS AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION
TWENTY-FIVE OF SECTION 2.10 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW.
(D) "VETERINARY CARE" SHALL MEAN THE PRACTICE, BY A VETERINARIAN, OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THE
EDUCATION LAW. THE TERM SHALL ALSO INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO ANNUAL
WELLNESS EXAMINATIONS, VACCINATIONS, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITE
PREVENTION TREATMENTS, TESTING AND TREATMENT OF ILLNESSES AND DISEASES,
MEDICATIONS, EMERGENCY CARE AND SURGERIES, PHYSICAL THERAPY, VETERINARY
ONCOLOGY OR OTHER SPECIALTY CARE, EUTHANASIA, AND CREMATION.
2. THE DIVISION SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM FOR THE CARE OF RETIRED LAW
ENFORCEMENT DOGS AND SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO EFFECTU-
ATE SUCH PROGRAM.
3. THE PROGRAM SHALL COVER THE COST OF VETERINARY CARE FOR RETIRED LAW
ENFORCEMENT DOGS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LIFETIME OF SUCH DOGS.
4. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM, THE HANDLER OR ADOPTER OF
THE RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG SHALL PROVIDE PROOF THAT THE DOG WAS IN
SERVICE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG FOR AT LEAST:
(A) FIVE YEARS; OR
(B) WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO AN INJURY TO THE DOG; OR
(C) WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO THE DOG BEING TRAINED IN THC
DETECTION.
5. A HANDLER OR ADOPTER OF AN ELIGIBLE LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG SHALL BE
ENTITLED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF VETERINARY CARE UPON
SUBMISSION OF A VALID INVOICE FROM A VETERINARIAN.
§ 2. The program established by section 844 of the executive law, as
added by section one of this act shall be subject to an appropriation to
the division of criminal justice services out of any moneys in the state
treasury in the general fund.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.