Guide Dog Rights on the Queen’s Agenda

Guide Dogs for the Blind were pleased to hear the Queen mention in her recent speech that anti social dog ownership will be high on the governments agenda. With more and more Guide Dogs being attacked across the country, it is good to see that concern has even reached the top table of the Royal Family.

As many of you I’m sure are aware, the Queen is a massive dog lover, with her infatuation for Corgis known across the world. It now seems that the campaign to bring an end to guide dogs being attacked has attracted some high level support folks!

Papers will now be released alongside the Queens speech to add irresponsible dog ownership to the list of Anti-Social Behaviour crimes, and about time too. An uncontrollable dog is a very dangerous weapon, and with more and more children and animals across the country being hurt, and sometimes even killed, now is the time to act.

The new Crime and Policing Bill will be –

Strengthening the powers to tackle irresponsible dog ownership by extending to private places the offence of owning/being in charge of a dog that is dangerously out of control in a public place and providing that a dog attack on an assistance dog constitutes an aggravated offence.

With the Government also pushing through plans to introduce compulsory micro chipping by 2016 of all dogs, it’s great to see such positive steps being introduced across the country. A attack on a guide dog not only cause injury to the dog, but also severe stress and trauma for the handler who cannot react to the danger. Hopefully these new changes in the law will help to stop these dreadful attacks, and prosecutions of the animals owners will follow.

Campaigns Manager, James White, said –

We are absolutely delighted to hear that the law will be changed to make an attack on a guide dog as serious as an attack on a person in the eyes of the law. Our incredible animals need to be allowed to do their life-changing work safely and free from fear of attack. With an average of eight attacks on guide dogs happening every month, the Government must act quickly to bring this new law into force as swiftly as possible.

If you would like to help support the amazing work of Guides for the Blind, why not check out our dedicated charity page on how you can provide funds. You can even sponsor a puppy if you like, and help a young dog take his first steps towards becoming a fully fledged Guide Dog for the Blind.