ND: North Dakota
Summary: Harming a law enforcement support animal in North Dakota is a Class C felony, plus a civil penalty up to $10,000 (N.D.C.C. 12.1-17-09). A 2023 bill for $1,000 a year in retired-K9 medical care (HB 1388) passed the House and failed in the Senate. There's no EMS, vest or retirement law.
Body armor
- None found.
Medical & insurance
- No K9 EMS statute was found. N.D.C.C. 43-29-13(1)(m) exempts unpaid services for an animal in a life threatening situation from vet licensing. It's general, not K9-specific.
Retirement & service limits
- None found.
Post retirement care
- None enacted. See HB 1388 below.
Penalties for harming police animals
- N.D.C.C. 12.1-17-09, Killing or injury of a law enforcement support animal. Willfully and unjustifiably killing, shooting, torturing, beating, kicking, striking, mutilating, disabling or injuring one is a Class C felony, plus a civil penalty up to $10,000. Harassing, taunting or interfering with the animal or handler is a Class A misdemeanor, plus up to $5,000 civil. The animal doesn't need to be on duty.
Pending or failed bills
- North Dakota meets in odd years, so the next session is 2027.
Sources
- N.D.C.C. ch. 12.1-17: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c17.pdf
- The Dakotan, "Pay for Retired Police Dog Fails Senate" (Mar. 2023): https://mydakotan.com/2023/03/pay-for-retired-police-dog-fails-senate/
- HB 1388 tracker: https://www.oneclickpolitics.com/bills/826492-hb-1388 ; LegiScan: https://legiscan.com/ND/research/HB1388
- K9 Medic map: https://www.k9medic.com/k9-laws/