Police will be given greater powers to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively under new legislation backed by the government today (Friday, February 2).
Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, police will have more power to collect evidence and, in more serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further livestock attacks.
Farming Minister Mark Spencer said livestock worrying has a “devastating impact” and causes distress to farmers and their animals as well as financial implications.
“This bill will crack down on this issue, widening the scope to protect more farm animals covered by law and giving police more powers to act,” he said.
“We will do all we can to support its swift passage through Parliament.”
Thérèse Coffey MP said: “We have heard from the police that they need more up to date powers to help them identify the dogs that are attacking and worrying livestock, and subsequently their owners.
“It is great to get out and enjoy nature, but dog owners should be careful and ideally put their dogs on a lead when on or near a working farm to avoid such attacks.”
Modernising legislation
The bill would modernise existing legislation to ensure it remains fit for purpose, including extending the livestock definition to include alpacas and llamas and widening locations where enforcement can be taken to roads and paths.
The bill also aims to address current enforcement challenges and give the police more powers to seize dogs after serious incidents and greater powers of entry, as well as the power to take evidence samples from livestock and dogs to help investigate these crimes.
The government said its support for this bill builds on its efforts to enhance standards of animal welfare.
Since the original Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Bill was brought in in 1953, the number of livestock in England and Wales has doubled.
The UK government said this coincides with more people choosing to visit the countryside.
By supporting the amendment to the bill, the government said it is “delivering on pledges” made in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare and recognising the financial and emotional impacts farmers face as a result of dog attacks on livestock.
