[nagdu] Canada: Private member's bill aims to better protect service animals and police dogs

[Ginger Kutsch]

Private member's bill aims to better protect service animals and
police dogs
  By Angela Hall, Leader-Post November 22, 2010    
  Legislation proposed by Saskatoon Centre NDP MLA David Forbes
would, if passed, make it an offence to interfere with a service
animal.Photograph by: Angela Hall, leaderpost.com
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Private+member+bill+that+aims+be
tter+protect+service+animals+police+dogs/3868827/story.html
REGINA - Sgt. Stephen Kaye once worked with a police dog who died
while trying to disarm and subdue a subject.
 
At the legislature Monday, Kaye watched with approval as a
private member's bill that aims to better protect service animals
and police dogs came forward.
 
The legislation proposed by Saskatoon Centre NDP MLA David Forbes
would, if passed, make it an offence to interfere with a service
animal.
 
"I think it's an important bill," said Kaye, who heads the
Saskatoon Police Service's canine unit and is president of the
Canadian Police Canine Association.
 
"It would provide for additional penalties for anyone who
basically puts hands on a law enforcement animal," Kaye told
reporters.
 
"Our hope is that there would be some deterrent value and it
would make it safer for our dogs and safer for us to serve the
communities we're responsible for."
 
While charges related to animal abuse can already be laid under
the Criminal Code or the province's Animal Protection Act, Forbes
said his bill allows for additional penalties with steps such as
compensation orders.
 
Current animal protection laws don't address the "unique
circumstances" involved in working with or caring for a service
animal, he said.
 
Sask. Party Justice Minister Don Morgan said he's not sure if the
bill is needed given the protection that's already available in
law, including compensation that can be sought through civil
action. He also noted that government is in the process of
increasing fines under the Animal Protection Act.
 
But he said officials are reviewing the private member's bill to
see if it could be beneficial.
 
The Opposition said the proposed legislation would mirror what's
already in place in Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba, where
the law was prompted by a dog attack on a guide dog belonging to
a visually impaired woman. The guide dog had to be taken for
costly retraining as a result of the incident.
 
Robin East, who was joined at the legislature by his guide dog
Seinfeld, said this is the kind of law he wants to see in
Saskatchewan.
 
"Right now if I walk down the street and there's any loose dogs
out and about they're circling my dog and nipping at his heels as
a blind person I have no way to protect myself or my dog," said
East, who lives in Saskatoon.
 
"This legislation will allow me to be able to, if my dog gets
hurt or damaged in any way or needs to be retained, I can get
redress."
 
ahall at leaderpost.com