Titan's Law: Bill increasing certain penalties for K9 deaths gains House support
Jul. 10—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Legislation filed in response to the on-duty death of a Johnstown Police K9 is a step closer to becoming law.
In a 145-56 vote, the state House approved a bill that would make an act that kills or injures a police animal a third-degree felony if the incident occurs while the actor is committing a separate felony.
The bill was nicknamed Titan's Law when it was introduced.
Titan died in 2020 while he and his Johnstown Police Department handler were investigating a burglary in the city's Woodvale neighborhood.
While working in almost pitch-black conditions to pursue someone hiding inside, the 7-year-old Belgian Malinois fell into an abandoned elevator shaft, police said at the time.
"As a dog lover and former police chief, I'm very aware of the valuable contributions these animals make," state Rep. Jim Rigby, R-Ferndale, said. "When Titan died in the line of duty two years ago, the police force and the community suffered a great loss. House Bill 940 would to some degree avenge his death and also hold responsible those individuals who had a hand in it."
Under current law, a crime is committed only when perpetrators intentionally cause the injury or death, he said.
"House Bill 940 would increase the penalty to a third-degree felony for anyone who tortures, mutilates, injures, disables, poisons or kill a police animal while committing a felony," Rigby added.
Depending on a variety of factors, including prior criminal history, a third-degree felony can carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
State Reps. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, Carl Walker Metzgar, R-Somerset, and Thomas Sankey, R-Clearfield, also supported the bill.
The bill apparently now heads to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk.
