Police dogs and horses are to get better protection from attack as a new law named after a hero police dog comes into force.

Finn's Law - officially called the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill - is named after a German shepherd police dog who was brutally stabbed as he protected his handler from a suspect with a knife.

The law means self-defence cannot be used as line of argument in court.

The legislation will be coupled with government plans to increase maximum sentences for animal cruelty offences to five years in prison.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said said the laws will make sure those who harm service animals are punished accordingly.


PC Dave Wardell, Finn's handler, said the now retired dog saved his life when a robbery suspect they were chasing attacked them with a knife in 2016.

Despite being stabbed in the chest and head, Finn did not let go of the suspect until reinforcements arrived, and it was feared he would not survive the attack.

Image: Finn's handler Pc Dave Wardell says the dog saved his life

The suspect was charged with ABH for wounding PC Wardell's hand but he faced only criminal damage charges over the injuries to Finn.

PC Wardell said: "The last two-and-a-half years have been quite a journey of discovery for Finn and me.

"We decided that we just had to bring change to make sure our amazing service animals, including police dogs and horses, had protection in law.

"We wanted to bring as much positive from that one negative as we could."

PC Wardell and Finn also managed to reach the final of this year's Britain's Got Talent with their mind-reading act but lost to Chelsea Pensioner Colin Thackery.

Image: The pair also managed to reach the final of this year's Britain's Got Talent

Environment Secretary and Conservative leadership hopeful Michael Gove congratulated campaigners, including Conservative MP Sir Oliver Heald who tabled the Bill, who have made Finn's Law a reality.

He added: "This law is about giving our service animals the protection they deserve as they dedicate their lives to keeping us safe.

"I am committed to making the UK the best place in the world for the care and protection of animals."

Defra said more than 100 other service animals have been injured since 2012 - from being beaten with an iron bar, kicked or hit by a car.