From 18 March 2026, a new law in England and Wales tightens what counts as an offence when a dog goes after livestock, raises the maximum fine from £1,000 to unlimited, and gives police powers to seize dogs, use warrants, and collect DNA. The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 is the first major update to the 1953 Act and reflects both the scale of harm documented by farming bodies and the difficulty of securing convictions under the old rules.
The law now treats chasing and stress as enough for an offence
Under the 1953 Act, the offence applied when a dog worried livestock on agricultural land, and in practice prosecution often turned on physical contact. According to GOV.UK and the Defra farming blog, the 2025 amendment expands the offence in two ways. First, it is no longer necessary to prove that the dog bit or touched the animal: chasing, stalking, or frightening livestock that causes stress, injury, miscarriage, death, or loss of produce is enough. Second, the offence can be committed on roads and public paths where livestock are present, not only on farmland. That closes a loophole that had left many incidents outside the scope of the law. The legislation applies in England and Wales and comes into force on 18 March 2026.
Unlimited fines and cost recovery replace the £1,000 cap
The previous maximum fine of £1,000 had not changed since 1953. The cost of a single serious incident—dead or injured sheep, aborted lambs, vet bills—often exceeded that sum, and farming organisations argued that the cap made prosecution feel pointless. The amendment removes the cap: courts can now impose unlimited fines. In addition, courts can order offenders to pay the costs of seizing and caring for dogs detained by police. GOV.UK and Farmers Weekly confirm that the combination of higher potential fines and cost recovery is intended to reflect the real impact of the offence and the cost of enforcement.
Police can seize dogs, use warrants, and collect DNA
Police now have explicit powers to seize and detain dogs suspected of worrying livestock or of posing an ongoing risk. They can apply for a warrant to enter premises to secure evidence or to collect DNA (or other impressions) from dogs and livestock. That aligns with work already under way: the Canine DNA Recovery Project, supported by police and farmers, has developed kits so that DNA can be collected quickly at attack scenes, where it otherwise degrades. As reported by the BBC and Police Professional, rural forces often cannot attend quickly and have relied on eyewitnesses or CCTV, which are frequently absent. The new powers allow forces to link a specific dog to an incident and to secure evidence that would previously have been lost.
Protected livestock and where the offence applies
The 1953 Act covered sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, horses, and poultry. The amendment adds camelids: alpacas and llamas. That reflects the growth in their use on farms and smallholdings. The offence can be committed wherever livestock may be found in connection with farming: in fields, on roads or tracks used to move them, and on public paths that cross or border grazing land. GOV.UK and the Goughs Solicitors summary stress that dog owners should keep dogs on a lead when near livestock and that many incidents involve dogs that are off lead on paths or in fields. Guidance from the Dog Training Company and others recommends a lead of no more than two metres near livestock and extra care between March and July for ground-nesting birds.
What This Actually Means
For dog owners, the law means that letting a dog chase or disturb livestock on a path or road, or in a field, can lead to prosecution even if the dog never touches an animal. Fines can be unlimited, and they can be required to pay the costs of detention. For farmers, it means that the offence and the tools available to police finally reflect the harm they see: 87% of sheep farmers in a 2024 survey had experienced dog attacks, and the NFU has put the annual cost at around £1.8 million. For police, the change makes it more viable to investigate and prosecute, provided forces use the new powers. The law will only change behaviour if it is enforced and if awareness reaches the many dog owners who currently let their dogs off lead in the countryside.
What is the new UK law protecting farm animals from dog attacks?
The new law is the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025. It amends the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 and comes into force in England and Wales on 18 March 2026. Key points:
- What counts as an offence: A dog no longer needs to physically bite or touch livestock. Chasing, stalking, or frightening livestock that causes stress, injury, miscarriage, death, or loss of produce is enough. The offence can occur on agricultural land, roads, or public paths where livestock are present.
- Fines and costs: The maximum fine is no longer capped at £1,000; courts can impose unlimited fines. Courts can also order offenders to pay the costs of seizing and caring for dogs detained by police.
- Police powers: Police can seize and detain dogs suspected of worrying livestock or posing an ongoing risk; enter premises with a warrant to secure evidence or collect DNA from dogs and livestock; and use that evidence to link a specific dog to an attack.
- Protected animals: Sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, horses, poultry, and camelids such as alpacas and llamas.
- Why it changed: Farming bodies documented high numbers of attacks and costs (87% of sheep farmers in a 2024 survey, £1.8 million annual cost cited by the NFU). The old £1,000 cap and limited police powers made prosecution and deterrence weak.
GOV.UK, the Defra farming blog, and legislation.gov.uk publish the full text and official summaries.
Sources
GOV.UK, Defra Farming Blog, legislation.gov.uk, Farmers Weekly, BBC News, Goughs Solicitors