Providing protections for service dogs and handlers

This bill strengthens legal protections for service animals and their handlers in Montana by establishing new criminal offenses for harassment, harm, or unauthorized control of service animals. It creates misdemeanor charges for individuals who continue to interfere with a service animal after receiving a warning, negligently cause injury to a service animal, or allow their own pets to harm one, with penalties including fines up to $1,000. The legislation also mandates restitution for handlers covering expenses such as veterinary care, training for replacement animals, medical bills, and lost wages, while amending existing laws to explicitly include service animals in definitions of vicious dogs and liability rules for dog bites.