What New Livestock Worrying Law Means for Land Managers and Dog Owners
- Rob Beeson
- Mar 18
- 4 min read
KEY TAKEWAY: The new law means dogs do not need to make contact with livestock for an offence to occur, and penalties are now unlimited.
The law on livestock worrying has changed. The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 comes into force today, 18 March 2026, updating rules that have been largely unchanged since 1953.
The new Act introduces tougher penalties, gives police stronger powers to investigate attacks, and broadens what counts as an offence. It applies to England and Wales only.
The changes matter for anyone who keeps livestock and anyone who walks a dog in the countryside. Here is what you need to know.
What counts as livestock worrying
Under the updated law, "worrying" livestock means any of the following:
Attacking livestock.
Chasing livestock in a way that could reasonably be expected to cause injury, suffering, abortion, or loss of produce (such as reduced milk yield in dairy cattle).
A dog being at large - not on a lead or under close control - in a field or enclosure containing sheep.
A dog does not need to make physical contact for an offence to be committed. Chasing, cornering, or simply being loose among sheep is enough. Livestock can be seriously harmed or killed by fear and stress alone, even without a bite or a scratch. Pregnant ewes are particularly vulnerable, the stress of being chased can cause them to abort.
The law now treats attacking livestock as a separate offence from worrying, making the violent nature of a physical attack explicit in the legislation for the first time.
What the law now covers
The 1953 Act only applied to incidents on agricultural land. The new law extends to roads and paths as well. If a dog chases or attacks livestock on a lane, a track, or a roadside verge, that is now covered.
The definition of livestock has also been expanded. It now includes:
Cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs
Horses
Camelids (llamas and alpacas)
Ostriches
Farmed deer
Enclosed game birds
Poultry
The addition of camelids reflects how farming has diversified since the original Act was written. Llamas and alpacas are now a common sight on smallholdings and farms across England and Wales.
Stronger penalties
The maximum penalty for livestock worrying was previously a fine of £1,000. Under the new Act, courts can impose an unlimited fine.
Courts can also order offenders to pay the costs of seizing and detaining a dog during an investigation or court proceedings. Previously, those costs fell on the police or local authority.
A new defence has been introduced for dog owners in cases where the dog was in someone else's charge without the owner's consent, for example, if the dog had been stolen.
New police powers
The Act gives police three significant new powers to investigate livestock worrying and attacks:
Seize and detain a dog where there are reasonable grounds to believe it could attack or worry livestock again. The dog can be held until the investigation is complete or court proceedings have concluded.
Take samples and impressions from a dog or from injured livestock to gather evidence for prosecution, for example, DNA samples or bite-mark impressions.
Enter and search premises to identify a dog suspected of worrying livestock, to seize the dog, to collect samples, or to seize other evidence.
These powers address a long-standing problem. Under the old law, police had limited ability to act after an incident, and gathering evidence for prosecution was difficult.
What this means for farmers
If your livestock are attacked or worried by a dog, report the incident to the police. The stronger powers in the new Act mean that reports are more likely to lead to investigation and prosecution than before, but the police still need evidence to act.
Keep a record of what happened: note the date, time, and location, take photographs or video of any injuries or damage, and collect the details of any witnesses. If you can identify the dog or its owner, pass that information to the police as well.
It is also worth reviewing your signage, fencing, and footpath management. Clear signs reminding dog walkers to keep their dogs on leads can help prevent incidents in the first place. The NFU offers free gatepost signs to its members.
What this means for dog walkers
The Countryside Code advises keeping your dog on a lead around livestock, and the new law reinforces why that matters. Remember that an offence can be committed without your dog making any physical contact with an animal. Chasing, disturbing, or simply being loose in a field of sheep is enough.
Pay attention to local signs. Some areas require dogs to be kept on leads all year round; others require it during lambing season or at other times of the year. If you are walking near livestock, the safest approach is always to keep your dog on a short lead.
Where to find out more
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