WisconsinLaw bars harassment and harm to search and rescue dogs
The law prohibits mistreating search and rescue dogs trained by state or nationally recognized agencies, including dogs still in training, and sets penalties for violations.
What it does
People may not harass or physically mistreat search and rescue dogs trained by state or nationally recognized agencies, including dogs still in training. Necessary training acts are exempt.
Violations carry a civil money penalty. People who know a dog's rescue role face criminal penalties for intentional or negligent violations, including felonies for intentional violations causing injury or death.
Argument forPenalties could discourage harm to dogs trained to find missing people and disaster victims, helping keep those dogs available for searches.
Argument againstPeople who know a dog's rescue role could face criminal charges for negligent mistreatment, even without intending to harm it.
More detail
People may not harass, threaten, or physically mistreat covered search and rescue dogs. Covered dogs have been trained or are being trained by a state or nationally recognized search and rescue agency to find lost or missing people and disaster victims. Acts needed to train dogs for a state or nationally recognized search and rescue agency are exempt.
People who violate the ban face a civil money penalty or criminal penalties, depending on their conduct and knowledge. These penalties apply to people who violate the ban on mistreating covered search and rescue dogs. Intentional or negligent violations are Class A misdemeanors when the person knows the dog is a search and rescue dog. Intentional violations with that knowledge are felonies, meaning more serious crimes: Class I for causing injury and Class H for causing death.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 2Published 4-3-2026Latest
- Apr 2Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 152Became Law
- Apr 1Presented to the Governor on 4-1-2026To Governor
- Jan 23Report correctly enrolled on 1-23-2026Minor
- Jan 23LRB correction
- Jan 22Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Jan 21Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 21Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Jan 21Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Jan 21Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Jan 21Read a second timeMinor
- Jan 21Senators Dassler-Alfheim and Smith added as cosponsors
- Jan 16Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 12Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 12Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0Minor
- Jan 12Executive action taken
- 2025
- Nov 12Public hearing held
- Oct 15Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public SafetyMinor
- Oct 15Received from AssemblyMinor
- Oct 14Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 14Read a third time and passedPassed Assembly
- Oct 14Rules suspended
- Oct 14Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Oct 14Read a second timeMinor
- Oct 14Representative Stubbs added as a coauthor
- Oct 9Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 by Committee on Rules
- Jun 20Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 15, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 20Report passage recommended by Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Ayes 15, Noes 0Minor
- Jun 19Representative Sinicki added as a coauthor
- Jun 11Executive action taken
- Jun 10Representative Stroud added as a coauthor
- Jun 3Public hearing held
- May 2Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public SafetyMinor
- May 2Introduced by Representatives Green, Andraca, Behnke, Dittrich, Gundrum, Mursau, Nedweski, Novak, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk and Subeck; cosponsored by Senators James and WanggaardIntroduced
Public SafetyCriminal Justice