Dog owners - law change from March 2026

The law on dogs and livestock is changing

From March 2026, tougher penalties and new police powers will be in place to better protect farm animals and support our rural communities:

🐕 It is now an offence if a dog:

🚫 Attacks livestock
🚫 Chases, stalks or frightens livestock
🚫 Causes stress, injury, death, miscarriage or loss of produce

⚠️ Important: A dog does NOT need to touch an animal for an offence to occur

🐄 The law protects a wide range of livestock, including:

🐑 Sheep
🐄 Cattle (cows, bulls, calves)
🐐 Goats
🐖 Pigs
🐎 Horses
🦃 Poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese)
🦙 Alpacas and llamas

📍 These protections apply: ✅ On farmland
✅ On public footpaths
✅ On roads where livestock are present

👮‍♀️ New police powers include:

🐕‍🦺 Seizing dogs involved in livestock worrying
🏠 Entering premises with a warrant
🧬 Taking DNA and other evidence
💷 Recovering costs from offenders
⚖️ Courts can issue unlimited fines

🐾 Dog owners – your responsibilities:

✅ Keep dogs under close control near livestock
✅ Use a lead in fields with animals
✅ Public rights of way still count

📢 Remember: It’s your dog. Your responsibility.