From today, 18 March 2026, England and Wales enforce new rules on livestock worrying. The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 replaces the £1,000 cap with an unlimited fine and widens police powers to intervene where a dog has attacked or is likely to attack farm animals. The Act received Royal Assent in December and was scheduled to commence today. (defrafarming.blog.gov.uk)

The financial context is stark. NFU Mutual estimates farm animals worth £1.95m were killed or injured by dogs in 2025, a 10% rise on 2024. The Midlands was worst hit at an estimated £438,000, while the South East surged to £330,000, up 137% year on year, underscoring a risk that clusters around lambing and busy visitor routes. (nfuonline.com)

On prevalence, the National Sheep Association’s latest farmer survey reports 87% of respondents experienced at least one dog attack on their flock in the past year, with many citing repeat incidents. For any business, a threat occurring this frequently is not an edge case-it’s an operational risk that merits resourcing and board attention on mixed farms. (nationalsheep.org.uk)

What changes in practice? Police can now seize and detain a dog if they have reasonable grounds to believe it attacked or worried livestock or could do so again; take DNA and other samples; and apply for warrants to enter premises to secure evidence. The law also clarifies offences by separating ‘attacking’ from ‘worrying’, extends coverage beyond fields to roads and paths when stock are being moved, and adds camelids such as llamas and alpacas to the protected list. (defrafarming.blog.gov.uk)

Ministers frame the shift as both welfare and business protection. Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle has argued the tougher regime will give farmers confidence that incidents can be properly investigated and acted upon-language that signals a firmer enforcement stance alongside education. (gov.uk)

For farm businesses, this is the moment to treat dog attacks like any other insurable operational risk. Review sums insured for livestock, check incident-response playbooks, and tighten record‑keeping: dates, photos, vet reports and any witness details help police and insurers. DEFRA also points farmers towards practical signage and footpath management to reduce exposure. (defrafarming.blog.gov.uk)

Dog owners are part of the risk equation. The Countryside Code expects dogs to be kept on a lead around livestock and under close control at all times; gardens near grazing land should be escape‑proof. With unlimited fines now in play, it’s prudent to check pet insurance includes third‑party liability-commonly bundled with dog policies, but not universal on budget or accident‑only cover. (gov.uk)

Courts can now order offenders to pay the costs of seizing and caring for a detained dog, reducing the burden on police budgets and reinforcing the ‘polluter pays’ principle. That sits alongside new seizure powers where owners cannot immediately be located-useful in repeat‑risk scenarios or when stray dogs are involved. (defrafarming.blog.gov.uk)

Coverage here is England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland already run separate livestock‑worrying regimes with their own penalties and powers. Cross‑border businesses should align site rules and staff training to the strictest applicable standard. (gov.uk)

Bottom line for rural enterprises: incidents that unfold in minutes can reverberate through cashflow for months. The law adds deterrence; the commercial response is prevention, documentation and insurance discipline-especially through the spring peak when flocks are most vulnerable. (nfuonline.com)