The gap between catching a dog that has worried livestock and actually securing a conviction has long favoured the owner. From 18 March 2026, that gap narrows: police in England and Wales can seize and detain dogs, enter premises with a warrant, and use DNA from dogs and livestock to link attacks to specific animals. The change is part of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, which comes into force on that date. Whether it will reduce attacks or mainly improve prosecution after the fact is the open question.
Enforcement is no longer limited to the field
The 1953 Act that the new law amends applied only when a dog was worrying livestock on agricultural land. Many incidents occur on roads, tracks, or public paths where livestock are moved or grazed. According to GOV.UK and the Defra farming blog, the amendment extends the offence to those locations, so police can investigate and prosecute even when no physical contact occurred. Chasing, stalking, or frightening livestock that causes stress, injury, miscarriage, death, or loss of produce is enough. That gives officers a clearer basis to act when walkers report loose dogs or when farmers report incidents on rights of way.
Seizure, warrants, and DNA close the evidence gap
Police can now seize and detain dogs suspected of worrying livestock or of posing an ongoing risk. They can enter premises with a warrant to secure evidence or collect DNA. Courts can require offenders to pay the costs of seizing and caring for detained dogs. The legislation does not spell out every forensic step, but it aligns with existing work: the Canine DNA Recovery Project, led by Dr. Nick Dawnay at Liverpool John Moores University and supported by police and farmers, has developed Early Evidence Kits so that DNA can be collected quickly at attack scenes. As reported by Police Professional and the BBC in 2024, dog DNA degrades quickly on exposed or dead livestock, and rural forces often cannot attend quickly. The new powers to take DNA from suspected dogs and to enter premises to secure evidence allow forces to compare scene samples with a specific animal, rather than relying only on eyewitnesses or CCTV, which Suffolk Police have said are often absent in rural settings.
Farmers and walkers are on different sides of the same problem
A 2024 survey cited by GOV.UK found that 87% of sheep farmers had experienced dog attacks; the NFU has put the annual cost of livestock worrying at around £1.8 million. The National Sheep Association and other farming bodies have welcomed the Act. Some dog owners and park operators have criticised the law as making the countryside feel smaller: Caroline Culot, co-owner of Tuttington Dog Park in Norfolk, told Yahoo News UK that the law adds another restriction on where people can walk their dogs, while acknowledging that farmers face awful attacks. The balance the law strikes is deterrence and accountability: higher penalties (unlimited fines instead of the previous £1,000 cap) and tools that make it more likely that an offending dog and owner can be identified and prosecuted.
What This Actually Means
For farmers, the new enforcement powers mean that a reported incident is more likely to lead to a seized dog, preserved evidence, and a realistic chance of a prosecution and cost recovery. For walkers, it means that letting a dog chase or disturb livestock on a path or road is now explicitly in scope, and that police have a legal basis to take the dog and seek forensic links. For police, the shift from a £1,000 cap to unlimited fines and the ability to use DNA and warrants should make livestock worrying a more viable use of resources. The real test will be whether forces prioritise these offences and use the new tools consistently; if they do, the law is more likely to change behaviour rather than only punish after the fact.
How does the new livestock worrying law change police powers?
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, which applies in England and Wales from 18 March 2026, gives police three main enforcement levers. First, they can seize and detain a dog suspected of worrying livestock or of posing an ongoing threat. Second, they can apply for a warrant to enter premises to secure evidence or to collect DNA or other impressions from dogs or livestock. Third, courts can order anyone convicted of livestock worrying to pay the costs of seizing and looking after a detained dog. The offence itself is also widened: it is no longer necessary to prove physical contact; chasing, stalking, or frightening livestock that causes harm or loss is enough, and the offence can occur on roads and public paths, not only on farmland. Protected livestock now include sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, horses, poultry, and camelids such as alpacas and llamas, as set out on legislation.gov.uk and by GOV.UK.
Sources
GOV.UK, BBC News, legislation.gov.uk, Defra Farming Blog, Farmers Weekly