New law will protect service animals in NI

It protects animals such as police dogs and horses, and provides them with the same protection as service animals in the rest of the UK.

It will apply to dogs used by the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Belfast Harbour Police, Belfast International Airport Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police.

The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act, which is also referred to as Finn’s Law, was debated and unanimously passed at the Assembly on Tuesday.

It means that causing deliberate infliction of injury or harm will result in prosecution under an animal welfare offence.

Minister Edwin Poots said: “Service animals carry out invaluable work that can take them into very unpredictable and often dangerous situations.

“They play an essential part in keeping the brave men and women who protect us safe and may be used to track suspects, search for illegal substances, stolen property, money, firearms and explosive substances.

“This legislation would prevent those who attack or injure service animals from claiming self-defence and thereby exempting themselves from prosecution for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

“Changing the law in this way should also act as a serious deterrent to those who think that they can harm these animals without repercussion.

‘Finn’ was a German shepherd police dog who was stabbed in the heart in 2016 while protecting his handler, PC Dave Wardell. PC Wardell later led the Finn’s Law campaign after the suspect faced only criminal damage charges – the equivalent of breaking a window or damaging a police radio.

USPCA chief executive Brendan Mullan said: “The introduction of the new legislation will afford service animals, be they canine or equine with the protection they deserve, something which has been denied to them in the past and a law in which we have worked towards being introduced.

“The new legislation will make a real difference for these animals and is a step forward in the right direction for animal welfare in NI.”