Livestock worrying bill amendment due to reach next stage

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill will reach the next stage in Parliament this week.

Chester South and Eddisbury MP Aphra Brandreth’s bill would give police more powers to use evidence such as video footage and DNA evidence, and extend the offence of livestock worrying to cover animals such as alpacas.

It will add to police powers around the seizure of dogs and collection of evidence from both dogs and livestock, and increase the maximum penalty from £1,000 to an unlimited fine.

UK farm animals worth £1.8m were severely injured or killed in dog attacks last year, according to the NFU.

The bill has been worked on by MPs from across different parties and also Welsh MPs.