Why I File a Police Report After My Assistance Dog Is Attacked – Mental Damage Counts Too

Iris’s Rights as a Victim – Not Just Paper to Shred

If you rely on an assistance dog, you quickly learn that safety is never guaranteed. Not for you, and not for your dog. Especially not in busy urban areas or when your daily independence depends on your dog doing their job in public. You hope for respect. You train for resilience. But what if it keeps going wrong?

Our assistance dog Iris was attacked by other dogs three times — in just two weeks.

➡️ In leash-required areas.

➡️ In the city center.

➡️ Without warning.

➡️ Without provocation.

The result? Tufts of fur pulled out. Iris becoming more hesitant on leash. And a team that now has to rebuild trust all over again. Because every attack breaks something — in the bond between the dog and the world. And rebuilding that bond takes time. A lot of it.

We hear “sorry” every time.

But sorry doesn’t heal trauma.

Sorry doesn’t pay for retraining.

Sorry doesn’t restore trust.

That’s why we filed a police report. Twice.

And yes — even if “it was just fur,” it still counts.

Because Iris is not an object. Not a training prop. She is a working assistance dog doing her best to trust the world — and she deserves better.

So we’ve made a decision: from now on, we file a report every single time.

Because registration means recognition.

And Iris’s rights are not just printed paper — even if she did rather enjoy tearing that victim folder to shreds.

“She behaved perfectly — but she wasn’t truly relaxed.”

Before her first birthday, Iris was bitten about five times. Not severely injured, but deeply shaken. She became anxious around dogs, sometimes reactive — behaviours rooted in fear, not aggression.

Her training organisation required a behavioural assessment to determine whether she could continue her assistance dog training.

✅ She passed.

But I didn’t think it was enough.

She looked calm, but she wasn’t relaxed.

She could pass dogs — yes — but not without tension.

So I decided:

→ Iris would attend a specialised dog day-care with supervised group interaction

→ And we’d continue working with an external trainer to fine-tune her behaviour

Because I want her not only to be safe, but to feel safe.

Especially in a world that’s not always fair.

Then, it happened again.

Three new bites. In two weeks. Out of nowhere.

In leash-only zones.

While she was working, leashed, doing everything right.

I couldn’t have prevented it — and neither could she.

What the long-term effects will be?

I don’t know yet.

But it will have an impact.

And we’re back to rebuilding — again.

Every attack sets us back.

No, we’re not back to square one.

But maybe we’re back to a 4 out of 10. Or 6 out of 10.

And that’s painfully frustrating.

Because I do everything I can:

I invest time, energy, money — all to help Iris grow and feel secure.

But others… leave their dogs off leash, ignore their responsibility, and my dog pays the price.

They don’t take responsibility.

We have to pick up the pieces.

I’ve been here before.

Maddox was my first assistance dog.

He was also attacked.

Physically, he recovered.

I didn’t — I ended up with multiple fractures.

But for Maddox, the mental damage was irreversible. He was never the same.

He had to retire.

And I lost a lifeline.

That’s when I learned:

Not all damage is visible.

Not all trauma bleeds.

Iris is resilient — but even she has a limit.

She’s doing great.

She wants to recover. She tries.

But even she has an emotional threshold.

And the question is:

How many times can you break something before it stops healing?

Not in an explosion — but in drops.

Slowly. Quietly.

Until something essential is lost.

That’s why I’m sharing this.

Because this shouldn’t be normal.

Because healing isn’t automatic.

Because assistance dogs have rights too.

Why we report every incident — and why you should consider it too

Many people believe an incident only matters if there’s blood, stitches, or a vet bill.

But mental damage is real, especially for assistance dogs.

That’s why we always file a police report, even when others say “it wasn’t that bad.”

Because registering is acknowledging.

And acknowledgment leads to awareness — and hopefully, prevention.

What does the law say?

▶ Dutch Criminal Code, Article 425:

“Anyone who intentionally or negligently injures or kills an animal belonging to another may be punished with imprisonment up to six months or a fine of the third category.”

▶ Other relevant legislation:

• Article 350 (destruction of property)

• Dutch Animal Welfare Act, Article 6:

“Everyone must prevent animals under their care from being exposed to pain or injury.”

💡 In other words: if your dog injures another — physically or mentally — and it could have been prevented, you are legally responsible.

And if it’s an assistance dog?

The damage can be life-altering.

So we report it.

Every time.

Not to be difficult — but because it matters.

Assistance dogs are not replaceable.

They’re not equipment.

They’re lifelines.

And they deserve protection. 🐾