Writer’s note: The following column contains positive comments relating to a dog and a Tennessee lawmaker, from a cat fancier and legislative cynic. (Will wonders never cease?)

The dog is Joker, a Belgian malinois, a five-year veteran K9 officer with the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office in East Tennessee. In September, he was called into action after reports of an auto burglary in progress at an apartment complex in Cleveland.

Suspects in the crime fled in a vehicle and made their way to a thickly wooded area, at which point Joker and his handler, Deputy Eduardo Choate, set about to bring them to justice.

Joker succeeded in finding the suspects – but in the course of his encounter with them was shot several times, including in the face, which dislocated his jaw. After which the suspects got away.

Things didn’t look good for Joker. His human colleagues feared for his life.

He was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital, where he underwent surgery. He remained in intensive care for more than a week, followed by several months of recovery that required his mouth be taped shut and a feeding tube because of his jaw injury.

Joker was eventually cleared to return to duty in December. On his first day back, Dec. 22, he was called on to track three suspects in the very same woods where he had been shot. Joker found them, of course.

Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?

What we have here is a bona fide heart-warming tale, unless you’re one of the suspects Joker helped nab. In recognition of his successful return and of all the pain and suffering Joker went through, the General Assembly recently commended him “for his laudable service,” calling him “beloved” and noting his willingness “to serve and protect the constituents of the county with honor and pride.” The resolution passed the House and the Senate unanimously.

But that’s just part of the story.

Those initial suspects, the ones accused of shooting Joker, were caught the next day. There are six, ranging in age from 13 to 17, and they face a variety of auto burglary and other charges, including the intentional attempted killing of an animal.

What they don’t face is a charge of trying to kill a K9 officer, because Tennessee doesn’t have a law specifically protecting four-legged cops.

Criminal justice students and animal lovers at Cleveland State Community College took it upon themselves to remedy that. They launched a petition drive to make the offense a felony, and thousands of people signed on.

The result is House Bill 1646, sponsored by Rep. Mark Hall of Cleveland, who knows a winning issue when he sees it. (He also sponsored the resolution commending Joker.) It would make it a Class B felony to “cause serious bodily injury or kill a police dog, fire dog, search and rescue dog, service animal, or police horse,” with a penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

In presenting his bill to a House subcommittee recently, Hall told members, “It’s my understanding that Joker is going to be the poster K9 that changes the laws not just in Tennessee, but across this country.”

The bill, he went on, is endorsed by the Tennessee Sheriffs Association. “It received a quarter of a million positive responses – not just hits, a quarter of a million positive responses on social media,” he added.

He wrapped up his pitch with this: “All the ingredients are in this legislation. If you’re pro-law enforcement, if you love animals, if you want to be a good steward of the taxpayers’ money,” he said, “House Bill 1646 is for you.”

It was indeed for all the subcommittee members, who sailed the bill through on a voice vote. I hope the same happens at succeeding steps along the legislative path.

If ultimately passed, the measure will be known as Joker’s Law. And both Joker and Hall will deserve an enthusiastic attaboy.

Joe Rogers is a former writer for The Tennessean and editor for The New York Times. He is retired and living in Nashville. He can be reached at [email protected]