Petition Legal protections for Seeing Eye Dogs, Guide Dogs, and Assistance Dogs

Issue:

This petition of residents in Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Assembly the urgent need for stronger legal protections for Seeing Eye Dogs, Guide Dogs, and Assistance Dogs, which are essential mobility and disability aids rather than ordinary animals. An attack on an assistance dog is treated the same as an attack on any animal. There is no specific offence in the Domestic Animals Act 1994 that deals with attacks on assistance dogs. Instead, attacks on assistance dogs are treated the same as attacks on any animal, despite the significant consequences such attacks have for handlers, including loss of independence, trauma, and the high cost of replacing and training a working dog. Section 29 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 only creates general “dog attack” offences and does not recognise the special status of assistance dogs as mobility and disability aids.

Action:

The petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly calls on the Government to amend the Domestic Animals Act 1994 to create a specific offence and higher penalties for a person in charge of a dog that attacks, rushes at, or interferes with an assistance dog, regardless of whether the handler or the assistance dog is physically injured.