Guide Dogs welcomes MPs' recognition of assistance dog attacks

Guide Dogs has welcomed another step forward in its campaign to tackle irresponsible dog owners.

The report on Dog Control and Welfare, published today, calls for a change in the law so that an attack on a guide dog by another dog is treated as an aggravated attack on the owner.

Welcoming today’s report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Guide Dogs Chief Executive Richard Leaman said: "An attack on a guide dog is devastating for the dog and the owner. It can rob someone with sight loss of their means of getting out and about on their own terms and leave them living in isolation. The Dangerous Dogs Act as it stands is simply not working.

“On average, eight guide dogs are attacked by other dogs every month. We need an overhaul to give better protection for guide and other assistance dogs and we welcome any measure that will see these attacks treated more seriously."

Today’s report follows last week’s very welcome announcement from Defra that all dogs in England must be microchipped by April 2016. Guide Dogs believes this step, together with new measures being brought in by the Home Office, will help to protect guide dogs. The Home Office measures mean that irresponsible dog owners could be fined and banned from keeping dogs, or face up to 18 months in prison if their dog injures a person. However, the Select Committee report shows that more needs to be done.

Mr Leaman added “This report highlights the vital issue of responsible dog ownership and we hope it will encourage the government to act now to protect guide and assistance dog owners."