On January 28th, 2014 Pittsburgh Police K9 Rocco was stabbed during the apprehension of a suspect that had led police on a vehicle chase. Rocco most certainly saved three officer's lives that night that also received injuries during the incident.
Despite valiant efforts from an Emergency Veterinary Clinic Rocco succumbed to his injuries on January 30th, 2014. Currently PA law lists the assault or the killing of a K9 Officer as a Class 3 Felony punishable by a maximum of 7 years in prison.
The law as it stands is unacceptable. K9 Officers put their lives on the line everyday without any regard to their personal safety. Their only concern is for the safety of the public or their human officers. The law needs to be changed to reflect similar sentences to that of murder of a peace officer.