Protect Police Dogs
As you maybe aware Northern Ireland has no Parliament at present, even though I have full support from the DUP without them in Stormont I cannot move FinnsLaw NIreland forward and under no circumstances will this be ignored, which is why I need your help.
I need everyone to write to the Secretary of State, Karen Bradley. Please see below as a pointer, but do not use this word for word, they are not as well received as individual letters.
Email: karen.bradley.mp@parliament.uk
Address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Please read below, this will help you, then can you please write in your own words why Northern Ireland Police Dogs should have protection also and with no Assembly, the Secretary of State should oversee this with the powers she has.
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I write to ask if you would be able to support this campaign and to
push it further and help get the law changed in N Ireland so that it mirrors the advances made in England & Wales and the campaign currently running in Scotland.
In October 2016 PC Wardell and PD Finn were working a night shift,
they responded to a blue light call, they were searching a back garden
for the suspect unbeknown to them he was armed with a knife.
The suspect stabbed Finn through the chest and head, and stabbed PC
Wardell on his hand. Finn held on to the suspect despite bleeding
heavily and protected PC Wardell until back up arrived. If it wasn't
for Finn I dread to think what could of happened.
Finn was rushed to the vets for emergency treatment, I can not imagine
what PC Wardell was feeling at this point. Finn was in surgery for 4
hours and then needed to recover for a number of weeks after before he
was fit to return to active duty.
Under current legislation there are only two possible offences which
the offender could be charged with. S4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
(in England & Wales) or Criminal Damage.
S4 of the Animal Welfare Act is not suitable for these types of
offence as all an accused has to do in order to defend this charge is
to say that they feared the animal. It is not difficult to see how
someone faced with a charging Police Horse or a Police Dog in full flight would raise this defence.
The alternative charge, and the one used in Finn's case, was Criminal
Damage. Trying to prosecute these attacks under Criminal Damage is
fraught with problems and difficulties. This legislation was not
drafted for this purpose and so it is not surprising that the CPS are reluctant to pursue such cases.
Criminal Damage legislation refers to damaged "property". It is
unpalatable that animals are treated the same as a broken window or a
scratched car. The Courts also have to determine the extent of the
damage to that property.
The case finally went to Court and the offender was found guilty of
the charge of Criminal Damage for inflicting the horrific injuries on
Finn. The injuries inflicted on Finn were determined by the sentencing
panel as being "insufficiently serious to warrant a separate penalty" and so no penalty was applied for these injuries.
This to me and lots of other people is just so wrong and therefore the
law desperately needs to change to protect our service animals. The
result of Finn's case sends out a clear message; there are no
repercussions for people who injure service animals.
The Finns Law campaign in England & Wales is drawing to its conclusion
and is anticipated to receive Royal Assent in the very near future.
The campaign has received cross party support from both the House of
Commons and the House of Lords.
The Welfare of Animals (Northern Ireland) Act 2011 contains exactly
the same defence of fear at section 4. 3.(c) (ii). In England & Wales
the Finn's Law campaign will see and amendment to the Animal Welfare
Act 2006 so that this defence will be disregarded if the injured
animal was a service animal, injured whilst carrying out it's duty
under a duly authorised officer. This will apply to prison dogs and
military police animals also.
For further information please view this website where you will see that
the UK is woefully lacking in offering our service animals protection from
harm.
I look forward to your support in this matter