Bid to make attacks on police dogs an offence

The Scottish Government is being urged to give police dogs the “protection they deserve” by including plans to make attacking such animals a specific offence.

Conservatives want Nicola Sturgeon to include a so-called Finn’s Law in her parliamentary programme for the coming year.

It is not a specific crime to kill or injure a police dog in Scotland, but with the UK government having signalled its support for such a change, SNP ministers are being encouraged to follow suit.

PC Dave Wardell, from Hertfordshire, began campaigning for the reform after his police dog Finn was stabbed with a hunting knife as they attempted to make an arrest in 2016. 0 Finn was stabbed twice and needed emergency surgery

A petition from Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr for Finn’s Law to be introduced in Scotland has attracted the support of almost 40,000 people.

The law, which would make it a an offence to attack a service animal, could also be applied to assistance animals such as guide dogs.