{"data":{"id":"us-mi/mich.-comp.-laws-750.50a","jurisdiction":"us-mi","citation":"Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.50a","heading":"Service animal; prohibited conduct by individual; violation as misdemeanor; rebuttable presumption that conduct initiated or continued maliciously; conviction or sentence under other applicable law; definitions.","body":"Sec. 50a.\n\n(1) An individual shall not do either of the following:\n\n(a) Willfully and maliciously assault, beat, harass, injure, or attempt to assault, beat, harass, or injure a service animal that he or she knows or has reason to believe is a service animal used by a person with a disability.\n\n(b) Willfully and maliciously impede or interfere with, or attempt to impede or interfere with, duties performed by a service animal that he or she knows or has reason to believe is a service animal used by a person with a disability.\n\n(2) An individual who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.\n\n(3) In a prosecution for a violation of subsection (1), evidence that the defendant initiated or continued conduct directed toward a service animal described in subsection (1) after being requested to avoid or discontinue that conduct or similar conduct by a person with a disability being served or assisted by the service animal shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that the conduct was initiated or continued maliciously.\n\n(4) A conviction and imposition of a sentence under this section does not prevent a conviction and imposition of a sentence under any other applicable provision of law.\n\n(5) As used in this section:\n\n(a) \"Harass\" means to engage in any conduct directed toward a service animal described in subsection (1) that is likely to impede or interfere with the service animal's performance of its duties or that places the person with a disability being served or assisted by the service animal in danger of injury.\n\n(b) \"Injure\" means to cause any physical injury to a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n(c) \"Maliciously\" means any of the following:\n\n( i ) With intent to assault, beat, harass, or injure a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n( ii ) With intent to impede or interfere with duties performed by a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n( iii ) With intent to disturb, endanger, or cause emotional distress to a person with a disability being served or assisted by a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n( iv ) With knowledge that the individual's conduct will or is likely to harass or injure a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n( v ) With knowledge that the individual's conduct will or is likely to impede or interfere with duties performed by a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n( vi ) With knowledge that the individual's conduct will or is likely to disturb, endanger, or cause emotional distress to a person with a disability being served or assisted by a service animal described in subsection (1).\n\n(d) \"Person with a disability\" means a person who has a disability as defined in section 12102 of the Americans with disabilities act of 1990, 42 USC 12102, and 28 CFR 36.104.\n\n(e) As used in subdivision (d), \"person with a disability\" includes a veteran who has been diagnosed with 1 or more of the following:\n\n( i ) Post-traumatic stress disorder.\n\n( ii ) Traumatic brain injury.\n\n( iii ) Other service-related disabilities.\n\n(f) \"Service animal\" means all of the following:\n\n( i ) That term as defined in 28 CFR 36.104.\n\n( ii ) A miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks as described in 28 CFR 36.104 for the benefit of a person with a disability.\nmore of the following:\n\n( i ) Post-traumatic stress disorder.\n\n( ii ) Traumatic brain injury.\n\n( iii ) Other service-related disabilities.\n\n(f) \"Service animal\" means all of the following:\n\n( i ) That term as defined in 28 CFR 36.104.\n\n( ii ) A miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks as described in 28 CFR 36.104 for the benefit of a person with a disability.\n\n(g) \"Veteran\" means any of the following:\n\n( i ) A person who performed military service in the armed forces for a period of more than 90 days and separated from the armed forces in a manner other than a dishonorable discharge.\n\n( ii ) A person discharged or released from military service because of a service-related disability.\n\n( iii ) A member of a reserve branch of the armed forces at the time he or she was ordered to military service during a period of war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized, and was released from military service in a manner other than a dishonorable discharge.","path":["MI Code","Chapter 750","Act Act-328-of-1931"],"source_url":"https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-50a","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:31Z","sha256":"27bd1a20e7d1e28eb6a3888cff370f1a4f171375d9162551c9030844f611cda8","source_id":"us-mi","stale":false,"prev":"us-mi/mich.-comp.-laws-750.509","next":"us-mi/mich.-comp.-laws-750.50b"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}