The Overview 

• On Friday, February 24, 2006, at 18:55 hrs, a Toronto Police Mounted Unit was deliberately, according to witnesses at the scene, struck by an irate driver who then fled the scene, leaving the officer and the horse in the roadway. The officer suffered neck, back and rib injuries, and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  The horse, "Brigadier", a 7 year old Belgian-cross horse, suffering from massive traumatic injuries, had to be shot and killed, for humanitarian reasons, on the street, by officers at the scene. The driver was arrested and charged with Dangerous Operation Causing Bodily Harm and Fail to Stop at the Scene of an Accident Causing Bodily Harm. No additional charges have yet to be laid.

The Problem

• In Canada there is no mention of "Law Enforcement Service Animals" anywhere in the Criminal Code of Canada, therefore purposefully killing a police dog, horse or other service animal comes with NO additional charges, unlike many States and Countries that do protect their Law Enforcement Service Animals. Letters have been written to the Canadian Federal Government, including the Prime Ministers office, regarding a proposal to amend the Criminal Code of Canada giving Police Service Animals the much needed protection they require, under the law. The proposed amendment was nicknamed "BRIGADIERS LAW" and is a very important issue. For a copy of the open letter to Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, written by Dan Sandor, founder of Brigadier Law, please click here.  It is very important for every Canadian to realize the importance and critical function that Law Enforcement Service Animals provide on a daily basis; from Search and Rescue, Community Oriented Policing, Public Safety and of course building a bridge between the community and the police.

The Solution

• An Amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada to better protect Law Enforcement Animals is currently being written and will be presented to Parliment shortly.  It is CRUCIAL that all Canadians write immediately to their Member of Parliment urging them to support this amendment when it is presented to Parliment shortly.  Please start a letter writing campaign and/or write your letter today.  Individual letters DO make a HUGE difference.