Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2024-26
make provision changing the law about the offence of livestock worrying, including changes to what constitutes an offence and increased powers for investigation of suspected offences; and for connected purposes.
Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill)
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act was a Presentation Bill tabled by Aphra Brandreth that became an Act of Parliament.
Is this Bill currently before Parliament?No. This Bill was introduced on 21 October 2024 and became an Act of Parliament on 18 December 2025.
Whose idea is this Bill?As a Private Members' Bill, this Bill represents the individual initiative of an MP (Aphra Brandreth), not the Government.
How can I find out exactly what this Bill does?The most straightforward information is contained in the initial Explanatory Notes for the Bill.
Would you like to know more?See these Glossary articles for more information: Act of Parliament, Presentation Bill, Private Members Bill, Process of a Bill
Official Bill Page Initial Explanatory Notes Initial Briefing papers Ministerial Extracts from Debates All Bill Debates
This bill has received Royal Assent and has become an Act of Parliament
1 Amendment have been proposed for this Bill
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1
Ann Davies (PC)Tabled: 19 May 2025
Public Bill Committee Amendments as at 21 May 2025
This amendment was Disagreed
View the speech made in the House
Schedule, page 5, line 8, at end insert—<br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(3A)</span><span class="sub-para-text">In subsection (2), omit “(that is to say not on a lead or otherwise under close control)”.</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(3B)</span><span class="sub-para-text">After subsection (2) insert—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subsection sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(2ZA)</span><span class="sub-para-text">For the purposes of subsection (2), a dog is “at large” unless—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subsection sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">it is on a lead of a length of 1.8 metres or less, or</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subsection sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">it is within sight of a person and the person—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subsection sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(i)</span><span class="sub-para-text">remains aware of the dog’s actions, and</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subsection sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(ii)</span><span class="sub-para-text">has reason to be confident that the dog will return to the person reliably and promptly on the person’s command.””</span></span>
Explanatory Text
<p>This amendment would change the definition of the term “at large” for the purposes of the offence under section 1 of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.</p>