Police leaders win Guide Dogs award

It recognises the work of DCC Pritchard, ACPO and Northamptonshire Police to ensure that blind and partially sighted people whose dogs have been attacked by other dogs receive support tailored around their needs. Following the introduction of new legislation in May which increased the protection available to assistance dogs and their owners, a Service Level Agreement was drawn up committing police forces to action such as assigning a named officer to a case, recording victims as vulnerable and taking the full impact of an incident into consideration.

On average, 10 guide dogs are attacked by other dogs every month in the UK.

DCC Gareth Pritchard said, 

“Attacks on assistance dogs are extremely distressing for their owners and often have long term consequences, both physical and emotional. Furthermore, the loss of each operational guide dog costs the charity £50,000.

“We have worked hard to raise awareness of this crucial issue and ensure its impact is fully understood. Police forces across the UK are committed to tackling dangerous dogs, bringing offenders to justice and supporting visually impaired victims every step of the way.

“I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all those involved.”