The State Senate has passed legislation (S.230-A) sponsored by Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) that would prohibit anyone convicted of selling or possessing a controlled substance within the past five years from having a dog that is trained to attack or be vicious.
The bill would create a new crime under State Penal Law for owning or possessing a vicious dog for drug dealers who have been convicted within the last five years. According to the bill, a vicious dog is defined as one that weighs more than 20 pounds and has either been trained to physically attack other people or has exhibited a vicious disposition or propensity.
Current law does not punish drug dealers who use an attack dog as weapons during the commission of these felony crimes.
"The Penal Law prohibits convicted felons from possessing guns, knives and other dangerous weapons," said Senator Larkin. "Since attack dogs are commonly used by drug dealers in the place of guns during drug deals or to hinder law enforcement, the possession of these live ‘weapons’ should also be criminalized. This bill would help protect the police when they are arresting repeat drug dealers, as well as the general public."
The bill was sent to the Assembly.
