NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Governor Bill Haslam has signed a bill into law that is meant to protect police dogs and horses.

WKRN News 2 reports that “Aron’s law increases the penalty for killing a police dog or horse.”

The legislation will ensure that offenders are now charged with a felony. Previously, the killing of a police animal resulted in a misdemeanor theft charge.

The law is named after police dog Aron, who was shot and killed on May 14, 1998 while he and his handler, Metro K-9 Officer Terry Burnett, were fired upon by a bank robber in Nashville.The 2-year-old German shepherd was shot once in the chest and twice in the neck. Officer Burnett was shot in the foot. Burnett supports the bill.

*WKRN News 2 contributed to this report.