{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/763802.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":763802,"attributes":{"action":"Legally recognise and treat therapy dogs in the same way as assistance dogs","background":"I would like the government to amend the Equality Act to recognise certified therapy dogs who’ve been highly trained to provide therapeutic intervention. They should to be treated in the same way as an assistance dog to enable disabled people to have public access comfortably.","additional_details":"I believe that a certified therapy dog provides similar services and benefits to people with a disability as an assistance dog. A disabled person would be far more likely to have access to a therapy dog compared to an assistance dog. An assistance dog is able to provide therapeutic intervention in specific moments in places where therapy dogs are not allowed, due to the law being different between assistance and therapy dogs. I would argue that therapy is a type of assistance.","committee_note":"","state":"open","signature_count":17,"created_at":"2026-03-09T21:38:56.765Z","updated_at":"2026-04-13T20:30:00.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-04-10T12:20:05.630Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-03-09T22:08:00.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"David Taylor","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"CO","name":"Cabinet Office","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":17}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Brent West","ons_code":"E14001123","mp":"Barry Gardiner MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Croydon West","ons_code":"E14001188","mp":"Sarah Jones MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Wiltshire","ons_code":"E14001217","mp":"Danny Kruger MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Ipswich","ons_code":"E14001302","mp":"Jack Abbott MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Melksham and Devizes","ons_code":"E14001356","mp":"Brian Mathew MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Mid Buckinghamshire","ons_code":"E14001360","mp":"Greg Smith MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"New Forest East","ons_code":"E14001373","mp":"Rt Hon Sir Julian Lewis MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"New Forest West","ons_code":"E14001374","mp":"Rt Hon Sir Desmond Swayne MP","signature_count":2},{"name":"Newton Abbot","ons_code":"E14001381","mp":"Martin Wrigley MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Rochester and Strood","ons_code":"E14001447","mp":"Lauren Edwards MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Rossendale and Darwen","ons_code":"E14001450","mp":"Andy MacNae MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Southampton Itchen","ons_code":"E14001499","mp":"Darren Paffey MP","signature_count":4},{"name":"Widnes and Halewood","ons_code":"E14001584","mp":"Derek Twigg MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":2},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":1},{"name":"London","ons_code":"H","signature_count":2},{"name":"South East","ons_code":"J","signature_count":9},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":3}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}