"SEARCH & RESCUE DOG" DEFINITION

SB 102 defines "search-and-rescue dog" as a dog owned or employed by fire departments, law enforcement, corrections agencies, or the state fire marshal for locating people. The bill increases penalties for injuring or harassing such dogs: minor injury becomes a third-degree felony (up to 5 years), while serious injury or death becomes a second-degree felony (up to 15 years). It directly affects agencies using search-and-rescue dogs by extending the same legal protections and penalties previously applied to police dogs, fire dogs, and police horses. The bill amends New Mexico’s criminal code to explicitly include search-and-rescue dogs in these provisions.