Wildlife and animal crime can be a complex area to understand.

To find out what wildlife crime is, go to our wildlife crime page. 

Crimes involving animals that aren’t wildlife crimes, include:

  • livestock worrying
  • livestock theft
  • hunting
  • animal cruelty
  • dogs being out of control in public places
  • banned dogs

Livestock worrying

Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and comes under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

‘Worrying’ is where a dog attacks or chases livestock causing injury or suffering.

This isn’t just a threat to a farmer or land owner’s livelihood, it’s also a dangerous situation for the animals involved, and could lead to more risk if the animals get onto the road.

A farmer is allowed to kill the dog if it’s worrying their livestock. 

Always keep your dog under control around other animals and if you see a dog on the loose worrying animals, report it online. 

Livestock theft

Grazing animals can be an easy target especially in remote rural locations.

  • check on your animal(s) regularly
  • report any suspicious vehicles
  • improve security around the area where the animal(s) graze
  • ear tags, horn brands, freeze marking, hoof branding, tattoos and microchips can all help identify your animal(s) if they’re stolen
  • in the case of cattle (cattle, bison or buffalo) you will need to report the loss or theft of an animal to the British Cattle Movement Service within seven days
  • some areas have Farm Watch schemes, which you could consider joining


Remember, a horse passport is a legal requirement. You can find out how to apply for a horse passport.

Report livestock theft online.

Hunting

Fox hunting

Fox hunting is illegal; trail and drag hunting (where the hunt follows an artificial scent laid out in a trail) is legal. Dogs can be used legally as part of a trail or drag hunt. 

There are exemptions under the Hunting Act 2004 which allow for wild animals (including foxes) to be ‘humanely’ killed. Dogs can be legally used to ‘flush’ a fox from cover so it can be shot.

It is an offence to:

  • engage or participate in the pursuit of a wild animal
  • use or allow a dog or dogs to pursue a wild animal
  • knowingly allow land to be entered for the purpose of hunting a fox
  • hunt foxes with dogs


If you think someone has broken the ban on fox hunting then that's a wildlife crime and you need to let us know by reporting it online.

Animal cruelty

Animal cruelty is when someone doesn’t care for or deliberately hurts an animal.

It can include anything from physical violence, to deliberate mental distress or neglect, for example not feeding or cleaning an animal.

If you see, or suspect, that a person may be treating an animal badly, whether this is physical violence, neglect or any other form of cruelty, you should report this to the RSPCA’s 24-hour cruelty line.

You can contact them on 0300 1234 999. The call will cost the same as any call to a UK landline number. 

We work with the RSPCA to investigate cases of animal cruelty.

Dogs out of control in public places

It’s an offence to let a dog be dangerously out of control whether that’s in public or private.

A dog is considered to be out of control if it:

  • injures someone
  • makes someone worried that it might injure them

A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:

  • it attacks someone’s animal
  • the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal

Please note, a farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

If you see a dog loose, please report this online. If it is seemingly out of control, please tell us by calling 101.

Banned dogs

In the UK, it’s against the law to own certain types of dog. These are the:

  • Pit Bull Terrier
  • Japanese Tosa
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro


It’s also against the law to:

  • sell a banned dog
  • abandon a banned dog
  • give away a banned dog
  • breed from a banned dog

Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name.

You can find more information about banned dogs.

If you think someone has or is breeding banned dogs, please report it online.

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