16/01/2026
❌LIVESTOCK WORRYING❌
unfortunately we have had to cancel what we had planned today and deal with a livestock worrying incident with our sheep, this is not only distressing for us but it is for the livestock.
This is a problem that not just farmers face day to day, small holders, equestrians, petting farms and hobby breeders face it to due to irresponsible dog owners.
But did you know the laws have changed? Dogs don’t physically have to attack livestock to be classed as worrying, they can be chasing in a way that it causes injury or suffering to livestock(including panicking), physically attacking livestock or just being at large in a field with livestock present.
There is now a wider scope of what the law covers, it now covers incidents in public rights of way and land, this could be a trip to the beach or a local hack out, you are now covered by these laws.
Penalties if found guilty have also increased with unlimited fines applicable, and immediate dog seizure if it is deemed the dog may cause worrying incidents again.
Thankfully Lancashire police responded within 5 minutes on blue lights to our incident and have issued a cpn with conditions, failiure to meet these could lead to a fixed penalty fine, court fine and immediate seizure and destruction of the dog.
Dog owners could also be faced with the reality of there “beloved pets” being shot if caught in the act of worrying livestock on private land, I say it like that simply because if you love your pet, you would not allow it to be in a situation where this could possibly happen.
Dog owners owe it to there pets to ensure they are not in that position, no one wants to have to destroy someone’s dog and equally no one wants to see there dog terrorise livestock.
So do the right thing, keep them on a lead and get some training lessons.
