New legislation seeks to protect search and rescue dogs and help their handlers

MADISON – Republican lawmakers are circulating proposed bills that would protect and aid handlers of search and rescue dogs, in hopes of supporting the volunteers who often spend large amounts of their own money to aid in natural disasters and wilderness searches.

Here’s what you should know about the bills.

A penalty for harassing search and rescue dogs

The first of the bills would classify search and rescue dogs on the same level as all other public service dogs.

If passed, the bill would make any action to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse or harass a search and rescue dog a felony, and could require the person responsible for the harassment to pay restitution, including veterinary care expenses or the value of a replacement animal.

“Extending existing protections to include search and rescue dogs acknowledges their vital role in public safety,” the co-sponsorship memo said. “It ensures that anyone who intentionally injures or threatens them is held accountable.”

Search and rescue dogs would be permitted in hotels

Another bill in the package would prohibit hotels, motels and inns from turning away search and rescue handlers because they have a dog with them.

The bill would afford the same accommodations that are currently afforded to service animals, and recognizes that search and rescue dogs provide an essential service, the co-sponsorship memo said.

Handlers would still be accountable for any damage caused by their dog during the stay.

Tax exemptions for search and rescue gear

Another proposed bill would offer a tax exemption for equipment purchased to aid in search and rescue missions involving dogs, including GPS collars and safety gear.

“By providing a sales and use tax exemption for these essential tools, the bill helps ease the financial burden on volunteer handlers, nonprofit search and rescue organizations, and local agencies that often operate on tight budgets and donations,” said the co-sponsorship memo circulated with the proposed bill.

To claim the exemption, the purchaser of the gear would have to provide certification.

Bills build on a law signed into effect last year

Rep. Chanz Green, R-Grand View, said the three bills build on legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers last year.

That bill allowed donations of anatomical gifts to search and rescue organizations, so the dogs had the proper tools to train with.

The groups involved in search and rescue in his district aided Green’s work on the new bills. Those groups train and travel all over the Midwest using their own money, Green said in an emailed statement, and often operate in tense situations.

“It is time to recognize how essential these groups are to Wisconsin and try to help with some of the burdens they incur when volunteering,” he said. “Hopefully, if these bills get signed into law, it will create an incentive to allow more volunteer search and rescue K9 groups to be developed and recognized throughout the state.”

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.

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