Gov. Cuomo signed "Ape's Law" which makes the murder of police-trained animals a felony punishable by one or more years in prison. It is currently a misdemeanor.
The law takes effect on Nov. 1, 2013.
In a press release, Cuomo said:
"Police animals go where others will not in order to keep law enforcement officials and all New Yorkers safe from harm and it's a tragedy when one is killed," Governor Cuomo said. "This new law will hold the guilty parties accountable and offer better protections for these highly trained animals who are important members of our law enforcement community."
The legislation, adopted earlier this year, was in response to the murder of a rookie FBI dog, Ape, during a shootout with a gunman in upstate New York.
