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On this day in vegan history · April 8, 2019

Finn's Law Closes the Self-Defence Loophole

A police dog who took a knife meant for his handler got the law changed so that hurting a service animal could no longer be waved off as self-defence.

The facts

Royal assent
8 April 2019
Bill introduced
13 June 2018, by Sir Oliver Heald
Petition signatures
Over 127,000
Came into force
8 June 2019

On 8 April 2019, the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act received royal assent, closing a loophole that let people who attacked police dogs and horses claim self-defence against animal cruelty charges. The campaign traced back to 5 October 2016, when police dog Finn was stabbed in the chest and head while helping his handler, PC Dave Wardell, chase down an armed suspect in Stevenage; because the law treated Finn as property rather than a victim, his attacker could only be convicted of criminal damage. A petition on the UK Parliament's website drew more than 127,000 signatures and forced a full Commons debate. Sir Oliver Heald introduced the bill in June 2018, and it took effect two months after royal assent, known ever after as Finn's Law.

In their words

The day in the words of the people who were there. Every quote is verbatim, and every source links out so you can check it.

  1. commonly referred to as Finn's Law after a police dog that was stabbed and seriously injured during the course of his work while pursuing a suspect

    Wikipedia, describing why the Act carries Finn's name

    Source: Wikipedia

  2. the suspect stabbed the dog in the chest with a large knife, before making a second attack in which he slashed the dog's head and Wardell's hand

    Wikipedia, describing the 5 October 2016 attack on Finn and PC Dave Wardell

    Source: Wikipedia

Why it still matters

Before Finn's Law, wounding a service animal on duty carried the same legal weight as scratching a car. Now it is its own aggravated offence, and the campaign has become the template other countries reach for when they try to close the same gap for their own police and military animals.

Sources

This history is still being written.

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