MORAY MP BACKING CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGES TO VAT LEGISLATION

Moray’s MP Angus Robertson is giving his support Linda Fabiani MSP’s campaign to have assistance dogs – including guide dogs and caring support dogs - classed as working dogs in regards to VAT legislation. Currently, food for assistance dogs is not VAT exempted which adds £120,967 per year to the food bill for dogs in Scotland. £40,000 of which relates to Guide Dogs Scotland’s bill alone. Other ‘working dogs’ such as sheep dogs and greyhounds currently enjoy VAT exemption from their food. Mr Robertson joined Guide Dog Puppy in Training, Dusty, along with his trainer, Elaine Cooper, at the Springfield Retail Park in Elgin to highlight the issue. Angus Robertson MP said: “ Under current legislation only dog food which is high in protein is zero rated. As this food is designed for dogs who are active for the majority of the day this food is simply not suitable for assistance dogs. “ This means that whilst working dogs such as sheepdogs and greyhounds are not subject to VAT on their food, assistance dogs such as guide dogs and hearing dogs are. “This is completely unfair on the owners of these assistance dogs who rely on their animals in order to carry out daily tasks and on the charitable organisations who work so hard to train and support assistance dogs through their working lives.” “ It is often the owners of the assistance dogs who are required to pay this bill although some of the charity organisations who train the dogs do cover these costs.” Although the VAT bill only comes to around £84,340 per year for all of the assistance dogs in Scotland changes to the VAT legislation will help all of the assistance dog owners in the UK and will save these charities more money. Guide Dogs Scotland added: “ In Scotland alone, VAT on dog food costs Guide Dogs more than £40,000 each year, which is money that could be spent on helping blind and partially sighted people live independently. Guide Dogs is backing MSP Linda Fabiani’s campaign for changes in legislation that would enable us to reclaim VAT on food for guide dogs.” “ Guide Dogs Scotland use premium dry dog foods which are able to provide a range of diets which meet the needs of the diverse dog population. These include feeding pregnant bitches, weaning diets, growth diets suitable for large breed puppies, maintenance diets for adults, reduced and lower activity diets for adults, diets to suit the older/senior dog and a range of veterinary prescription diets. “ In addition to having the different life stages/ranges of diets the quality/digestibility of the diets is important to ensure low or moderate faecal output which is important to the work of the guide dog on the street and management by a blind or partially sighted user.”