Overview
- The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 came into force on 18 March across England and Wales.
- Penalties for livestock worrying now include unlimited fines and potential prison terms of up to one year.
- Police can seize and detain suspected dogs, take DNA or dental impressions, and enter premises, with courts able to order offenders to pay detention and care costs.
- Protections now cover incidents on roads and public rights of way, extend the livestock definition to camelids, and add a limited defence for owners whose dogs were taken without consent.
- Authorities and charities cite rising harms—87% of sheep farmers reporting attacks in 2024 and annual costs near £2 million—and urge leads near livestock, especially during lambing.