New law strengthening protections for sheep, cows and other farm animals.
A new law passed today sees farm animals in England and Wales get stronger protection from dog attacks with maximum penalty for Livestock Worrying, when a dog you own or are in charge of attacks or chases livestock on agricultural land, increasing from £1,000 to an unlimited fine and police given powers to detain dogs believed to pose an ongoing threat to livestock.
A survey of farmers from the National Sheep Association found that almost four in five (87%) sheep farmers have experienced a dog attack on their flock in the past year, with many reporting multiple incidents. NFU research published this year also found that the total cost of livestock worrying across the UK in the past year had reached £1.8 million. The Midlands alone saw an estimated £452,000 worth of livestock harmed by dog attacks, followed by the Southwest at £225,000.
The police now have greater powers and can investigate incidents more effectively under the new laws which came into effect today as part of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025. These include entering premises to secure evidence or animal DNA, helping to prevent future incidents. Alongside this, Courts will also be able to require offenders to cover the costs of seizing and caring for a detained dog.
These changes will reduce the emotional and financial strain placed on farming communities from these dangerous attacks. While these incidents can unfold in moments, they leave lasting damage, harm businesses, affect livelihoods and cause considerable stress in rural communities. The new law brings much needed stronger powers to address the problem.
Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle said:
Livestock worrying can have devastating consequences for farmers and their animals, with sheep, cows and other animals often suffering severe injuries, trauma or often death.
These stronger protections will help keep livestock safe and give farmers more confidence that incidents can be quickly and properly investigated.
Aphra Brandreth, MP for Chester South and Eddisbury, said:
I'm delighted that the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill has now passed through the House of Lords and become law. This has been a long journey, first introduced by Baroness Coffey under the previous Government, and I'm thrilled to have taken it forward to finally bring it to this stage.
This Bill updates legislation to give the police stronger powers to tackle dog attacks on livestock. These attacks cause distress and financial loss for farmers and harm to animals, so this change will make a real difference in protecting rural livelihoods and animal welfare.
I'm hugely grateful for the support this Bill has received from across Parliament and from farming groups, the police, and rural communities. It's been a long time coming, but I'm proud that together we've ensured this important measure has become law.
The Act extends protection to incidents that happen on roads and paths, recognising that incidents can occur when farmers move their livestock, for example along a road to another field or milking parlour. It also expands the definition of livestock to include camelids such as llamas and alpacas.
The changes are designed to crack down on instances of livestock worrying and support the safety and wellbeing of rural communities. Farmers will have greater confidence that incidents will be investigated properly and that irresponsible dog owners can be held to account.
These measures add to our strong record on delivering for animal welfare ahead of our upcoming Animal Welfare Strategy.
