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Bill calls for tougher penalties for injuring police animals

www.troopers.ny.gov

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A New York state lawmaker wants harsher penalties for causing harm to police animals. 

Republican Sen. Catherine Young, of Olean in Cattaraugus County, has scheduled a conference on Monday in Albany to promote legislation that would create a new felony offense for intentionally causing serious physical injury to a police work dog or police work horse. Her measure also would increase the offense of killing a police work dog or police work horse to a class D felony. 

The bill is named Mitchell's Law for a Jamestown Police Department German shepherd that suffered life-threatening injuries while apprehending a suspect in a slaying last November. 

The bill has passed through a Senate committee and has been added to the upcoming floor calendar. 

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