Arkansas (AR): police and working animal protection laws
Summary: One of the strongest states: Rino's Law (2023) pays up to $2,500 a year in food and vet care for retired State Police K9s adopted by their handlers. Gabo's Law lets EMS treat and transport injured police dogs, and harming a police animal is a Class D felony.
Body armor
none found. No vest mandate or fund found. Gabo's Law is named for a K9 whose vest stopped a fatal round (K9 MEDIC state law map, verified 18 Sep 2026).
Medical & insurance (including EMS treatment of injured K9s)
Ark. Code § 20-13-217, Gabo's Law. EMS may transport an injured police dog and, during transport, give listed care (airway, oxygen, bleeding control, splints, naloxone under a vet protocol). Responders are immune and aren't liable for the vet bill. K9 MEDIC state law map, verified 18 Sep 2026.
Retirement & service limits (age or service limits, handler adoption rights)
Rino's Law (below) covers State Police dogs retired and adopted by their handlers. No general retirement age or service limit statute found.
Post retirement care (retired K9 care funds)
Penalties for harming police animals (context)
Ark. Code § 5-54-126. Purposely killing or injuring an animal owned or used by law enforcement, or a search and rescue dog, is a Class D felony. Interfering with or obstructing one is a Class A misdemeanor. Restitution covers vet bills and replacement. Justia
Pending or failed bills
- HB 1319 (2023): enacted (Act 113).
Sources
- https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?ddBienniumSession=2023%2F2023R&id=HB1319
- https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-5/subtitle-5/chapter-54/subchapter-1/section-5-54-126/
- https://www.k9medic.com/k9-laws/
- Cross state reference: K9 MEDIC state law map, verified 18 Sep 2026
- Federal backdrop (not state law): 18 U.S.C. § 1368 makes it a crime to harm a federal police animal, up to 10 years if the animal is seriously hurt or killed (Animal Legal & Historical Center).