I want to start off by putting it in the words of Chris Cahill, president of the New Zealand Police Association, who supports this bill. To quote the New Zealand Police Association, because I think they put it in a very articulate way: "A police dog is a key part of a police team, and within police, any act of violence towards the police dogs is considered similar to an attack on a police officer. It is a direct attack on law and order and needs to be recognised for the serious offence it is." 