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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Jilly Beattie

NI service dogs hurt on duty protected by new law which removes self-defence or fear as a motive for lashing out

Alex Easton NI Belfast Harbour Police Police PSNI

Service dogs attacked or injured on duty in Northern Ireland now have more protection in law after new legislation was passed.

After a four year campaign and a 45,000-name petition, the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 is in place as an amendment to the existing legisaltion.

Now it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to a service animal employed by the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Belfast Harbour Police, Belfast International Airport Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police. And it means anyone who harms a service dog can no longer claim self-defence as a motive.

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