The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act receives Royal Assent. The Act was first passed into law in 1953. Aphra Brandreth private members’ Bill implements an amendment to this Act.
The new amendment empowers police to take advantage of the technological and scientific advancements that have been made since it was first passed into law in 1953. This includes allowing them to take DNA samples or mouth impressions from dogs they suspect of worrying livestock and where there is nobody present to accept responsibility of the dog, as well as ensuring offenders can be ordered by the courts to pay the costs incurred by seizing and detaining a dog.
The Lords give their final approval to the Bill, allowing to be sent to the King for Royal Assent and finally being enshrined on the Statute Book.
After the election, the Bill is reintroduced to Parliament by Aphra Brandreth, Conservative MP for Chester South and Eddisbury.
MPs again give their approval to the Bill and it passes its Second Reading and Committee Stage. After passing through the Commons, the now enobled Baroness Coffey starts to take the Bill through the Lords where it passes through unamended with support from all parties.
The Lords agree to expedite the Bill, scheduling in the final stage before it is sent to the King for the 5 December.
The NFU continues to brief MPs and Peers ahead of the Bill passing through each stage.
NFU launches open letter to government, inviting members to add their support to call on Defra to enhance existing legislation to increase fines and enhance police powers to deal with dog attacks on livestock.
Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, introduces the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Bill to the Commons following NFU lobbying.
MPs back Ms Coffey’s Bill, allowing it to pass its second reading. The Bill completes its progress in the Commons. It is introduced into the House of Lords, but is lost when the government dissolves Parliament for the general election in July.
The government pulls the Bill, citing concerns over ‘scope creep’. It pledges to introduce the measures contained within the Bill as individual pieces of legislation. The NFU campaigns to ensure it does not fall off the agenda.
The NFU works with Virginia Crosbie MP on her ten-minute rule bill, aimed at strengthening the livestock worrying legislation.
The government introduces the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, containing the provisions the NFU campaigned on. The Kept Animals Bill receives its second reading, gaining the support of MPs.
It passes through the Committee Stage. However, it is stalled after Parliament is prorogued. A carry-over motion is passed allowing the legislation to be brought back. It then restarts its journey in May 2022 through the Commons and has another second reading.
NFU launches open letter to government calling for support to changes to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.
10,145 members of the public signed the letter.
The NFU participates in a series of meetings with Defra and police leads on livestock worrying reforms.
The NFU lobbies the government to make simple changes to legislation to tackle livestock worrying.
Ahead of the 2019 General Election, the NFU launches its manifesto, Back British Farming: Brexit and Beyond, calling for changes to existing livestock worrying legislation to make it fit for purpose and aid the police when addressing this crime.
The NFU raises the issue on the BBC Breakfast sofa during a week of programmes from a farm in Leicestershire.
The NFU welcomes the National Police Chiefs Council report which finds that in the majority of cases of livestock worrying the dog owner was not present.
NFU launches its Combatting Rural Crime Report, highlighting livestock worrying as a key rural crime impact on farm businesses.
The NFU calls for: