UK imposes unlimited fines on dog owners for livestock attacks
→Dog owners cannot let dogs attack livestock without risking seizure and unlimited fines
Change
UK raised the maximum penalty for dogs that attack, chase or cause distress to livestock from £1,000 to an unlimited fine and authorised police to seize and detain suspect dogs and take DNA, while courts can order offenders to pay seizure and detention expenses.
Why it matters
Incidents that occur on roads and public paths are prosecutable, extending enforcement beyond private farmland. The law expands the definition of protected animals to include camelids (llamas and alpacas), making attacks on them subject to the same seizure, DNA and unlimited-fine regime; responsible dog walkers must keep dogs on a lead where livestock may be present to avoid prosecution.
Implications
- — Dog owners in England and Wales must keep dogs under effective control and on leads around livestock and camelids immediately — failure risks police seizure and detention of the dog, DNA sampling, court-ordered liability for seizure/detention expenses and unlimited fines.
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Source
View on BBC