CONSERVATIVE
New Forest East

BACKBENCH DEBATE ON DOGS - 04 September 2014

BACKBENCH DEBATE ON DOGS - 04 September 2014

Dr Julian Lewis: My hon. Friend [Neil Parish] is making such a superb speech that I think we need to hear an extra minute, so may I ask him if he is aware of the work of wonderful charities such as Woofability in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Christopher Chope). Such charities train dogs beautifully to do tremendous work for disabled people, such as pulling their socks off, taking the washing out of the washing machine and all sorts of tasks that able-bodied people think nothing of doing, but which are of huge assistance to someone confined to a wheelchair?

[Neil Parish: My hon. Friend highlights not only that dogs can help people with certain tasks that they are unable to do themselves, but that a dog is a part of the family and an individual’s life. For many elderly people, their dog becomes their life, so if they lose a dog and then buy the wrong type of puppy – it might be diseased or have huge behavioural problems – that becomes a serious social issue as well. It is imperative, therefore, that we deal with the situation.]