D elegated Powers and Law Reform Committee Maurice Golden MSP Via email 26 March 2025 Dear Maurice, Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill The Committee considered the above Bill at its meeting on Tuesday 25 March 2025, and agreed to write to ask for further information in relation to the delegated power contained at Section 2(2)(b): Theft of assistance dogs. The Bill uses the definition of assistance dog which is set out in section 173(1) of the Equality Act 2010, which is: a) a dog which has been trained to guide a blind person; b) a dog which has been trained to assist a deaf person; c) dog which has been trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person who has a disability that consists of epilepsy or otherwise affects the person's mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects; and d) a dog of a prescribed category which has been trained to assist a disabled person who has a disability (other than one falling within paragraph (c)) of a prescribed kind.