In recognition of the valuable role these K-9 officers play in police duties and the dangers they face, there have been a number of legal measures to ensure their protection. These measures range from outfitting dogs with vests to passing laws that make attacking a police dog a felony. For example, the New Jersey General Assembly attempted to pass legislation that would treat the murder of an on-duty police dog as the same as the murder of an on-duty police officer. By the same token, a police dog killed in the line of duty is often given a full police funeral just like a human officer.

State statues on police K9s in the U.S.