Written questions, answers and statements

Livestock Worrying

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Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN 16043, tabled on 27 February 2024

Question

Dr Neil Hudson
Conservative
Penrith and The Border
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle livestock worrying.

Answer

Mark Spencer
Conservative
Sherwood
Commons

Answered on

7 March 2024

The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause animals and their keepers, as well as the financial implications. The Government is supporting a Private Members’ Bill to amend the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 to tackle the issue of livestock worrying. The Bill contains crucial measures which build on all the work this Government is doing to enhance our existing world-leading animal welfare standards.

The Bill will focus on two key areas; extending the locations where an offence may take place and extending the species scope to include camelids; as well as strengthening police powers such as powers of entry, the seizure and detention of dogs, and collection of evidence to support enforcement.

Answered by

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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