Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 10 July 2025.
Kirith Entwistle
Labour, Bolton North East
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect service dogs from attacks by other dogs.
Kirith Entwistle
Labour, Bolton North East
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place to prevent service dogs from attacks by other dogs.
Kirith Entwistle
Labour, Bolton North East
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of penalties in place for dog-on-dog attacks involving service dogs.
Daniel Zeichner
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.
Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.
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