Finn’s Law: the campaign for a law to protect service animals

There was an interesting news item on BBC Northern Ireland recently. Under the headline "Finn's Law: Search dog Max saves lives; who protects his?" The article focused on a four year old Labrador called Max, a rescue dog who finds missing people across the north of Ireland. Max lives in Bangor, County Down, (Irish: Beannchar, Contae an Dúin) and is a highly trained air scenting search dog. Max recently located a vulnerable woman who had been missing for almost two days in freezing conditions. Max also regularly helps HM Coastguard teams on rescue missions, but, as the article points out, he is not protected by law if he is attacked in the line of duty. 

This is because new recently passed legislation known as Finns Law, which makes causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal an offence in Wales, Cornwall, and England, has yet to have an equivalent in Northern Ireland. Finn's Law comes into force on Saturday 8th June 2019. Albeit that  campaigners have stressed the need for the continued progress of the Animal Welfare ( Sentencing) Bill. Because without this, the same position prior to Finn's Law would probably be used by prosecutors, who will still look at using charges of Criminal Damage (such as used for breaking a window)  because of the higher penalties available.

Nevertheless, the passing of Finn's Law is seen by campaigners as a major step forward. The campaign in Northern Ireland is more politically fettered due to a lack of an Assembly. In the meantime those promoting the legislation continue to gain support and prepare for the time when an Assembly can be reconvened. A similar campaign in Scotland is making progress after Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her support for Finn's Law to be introduced in Scotland. A campaign for legislation along the lines of Finn's Law is also underway in the Isle of Man. There are also moves to garner support for such a law in the Republic of Ireland. 

The term Finn's Law was inspired by German shepherd named Finn, who was stabbed while trying to apprehend a man in 2016. The dog was stabbed in the chest and head while protecting his handler, PC Dave Wardell. But while the suspect was charged with actual bodily harm in relation to wounds to PC Wardell, he faced only criminal damage charges over the injuries to Finn, which sparked calls for an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.