Petition · past parliament
Recognise and allow for psychological assistance dogs in the UK
Closed
162 signatures
What the petition asks
In the UK there is no government backed scheme that provides service dogs for those who suffer mental illness. There is no legislation to allow any animal serving as a therapy or psychological assistance to have the same access rights to public places as guide dogs or physical assistance dogs.
The onset of psychosis and recovery left me feeling uneasy being in public on my own. The anxiety I felt was crippling and I lost a lot of my social life during this time. In situations where I am expected to cope with more spontaneous or unusual trips, I still find the anxiety coming on.
In these situations the benefit of a service dog would be incalculable. This country has come a long way in the understanding and treatment of mental illness, but there’s a long way still to go.
In these situations the benefit of a service dog would be incalculable. This country has come a long way in the understanding and treatment of mental illness, but there’s a long way still to go.
Timeline
| 29 Sep 2015 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 29 Mar 2016 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
162
Status
Closed
Opened
29 Sep 2015
Closed
29 Mar 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.