Finn's Law: Committee MPs back police dog law

A new law to protect police dogs and horses has passed the committee stage in the Houses of Parliament.

Finn's Law - named after a stabbed police dog - would prevent attackers of service animals from claiming they acted in self-defence.

The third reading, of the proposed Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill, brought to Parliament by the Rt Hon Sir Oliver Heald MP, will be in February.

Finn's handler, PC Dave Wardell, said "everybody is on cloud nine".

PC Wardell, from Hertfordshire, said the dog - who is now retired - saved his life when a robbery suspect they were pursuing turned on them with a knife in 2016.

Finn was stabbed in the chest and head but did not let go until police reinforcements arrived. He was not expected to survive.

While the suspect was charged with actual bodily harm for wounding PC Wardell's hand, he was only charged with criminal damage for injuring Finn.

Mr Heald, MP for North East Hertfordshire, confirmed that Finn's Law had gone through the committee and had "unanimous cross party and Government support, including from the Hertfordshire MPs for Stevenage (Stephen McPartland) and Hemel Hempstead (Sir Mike Penning)".

"The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill is well on the way to becoming law and providing public recognition in law for our brave service animals for the first time," he said.

German Shepherd dog Finn attended the committee meeting and was, according to PC Wardell, "incredibly well behaved".

Posting on Twitter before they went into the committee room, PC Wardell said: "#FabulousFinn is soaking up all the attention."