The scenes at the Black Lives Matter Protest in London of a police horse bolting riderless and in terror past the Whitehall Cenotaph while others came under attack from bicycles, flares, fireworks and other missiles was quite a poignant reminder of the war horses and also raises the question of whether they get enough protection under Finn’s law. The Conservative MP Andrew Griffith thankfully asked this question of Priti Patel in the House of Commons on Monday 8th. June:
“I am proud that it was a Conservative Government who introduced Finn’s law to protect our service animals. Will my right hon. Friend assure me that she will not rest until the minority of thugs involved in attacking the police horse, as well as, of course, our brave officers, are brought to justice?”
In response the Secretary of State for the Home department said:
“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. What we witnessed at the weekend was utterly despicable. I look forward to visiting the mounted police section quite soon. I have had it with authority from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner that the injuries to the horse were mild, but importantly, she highlighted yet again how the acts of thuggery are disproportionate to not just police officers, but the animals”.
Coincidentally
Finn’s
Law or as it is formally named The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill came
into force exactly a year to the day these incidents occurred. It was named
after a German Shepherd Dog that was stabbed chasing an offender and is
designed to protect service animals. It was heralded as the answer to protect
them but cannot be effective unless it is enforced stringently and greatly
publicised to make possible offenders aware of the protection these animals
have and the consequences of injuring them.
But
there is also a great need for police horses and dogs to be treated in the same
way as the officers when it comes to health and safety assessments of their use
in each specific operation or situation. In this instance it did not seem
sensible or safe for anyone to use them in a charge of the light brigade onslaught
in the wet weather conditions to frighten and push a mob from the streets. I am
surprised that horse charities and the RSPCA are not more vociferous over this
issue. The incident received
press coverage across the world which is not a particularly good UK animal
welfare image.
Andrew Griffith is obviously concerned about this issue and should be encouraged to do more by contacting him by email on Andrew@GriffithMP.com
READ MORE ON THE SUBJECT BY JOHN BROOKLAND
