§ 49. Mr. George Jegerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the hardship caused to blind persons who travel abroad accompanied by their guide dogs but who find that their dogs are placed in quarantine for six months on their return; and whether he will take steps to secure special inoculation and treatment of such dogs to obviate the separation of blind persons from their dogs for long periods.
§ Mr. John MackieI am, of course, very much aware of the hardship which separation from a guide dog must entail to any blind person and I recognise that these dogs present a less than average risk of introducing rabies. There is, however, no inoculation or other treatment which gives absolute protection against rabies, and in view of the terrible results of the disease I regret that we are not prepared to relax the quarantine regulations in favour of guide dogs.