Essex countryside news

Essex is 72% rural and our Rural Engagement Team focuses on supporting our rural communities because we understand issues faced by people who live and work in these rural areas are often unique.

Rural crime and anti-social behaviour can impact insurance premiums and food prices and damage local communities, affecting livelihoods.

Our rural engagement officers have an in-depth knowledge of what matters to our countryside communities and they work to prevent, detect and deter crime in those communities, as well as catching people intent on causing harm.

Supporting our rural communities and businesses is at the heart of their role. 

Inspector Terry Jacobs heads up our Rural Engagement Team. Here, he looks at the issue of livestock worrying.

Sadly, here in Essex as in many other rural areas, we do see instances of livestock worrying, particularly during the spring and early summer, as the better weather tempts dog walkers back to the countryside.

Last year, Essex Police received a number of calls reporting dogs harassing or attacking livestock and we recorded ten crimes relating to dog attacks on farm animals.

I know that farmers and livestock-owners care deeply about animal welfare and find such incidents particularly distressing because of the stress and injuries caused.

As well as the emotional impact of seeing their animals suffering, there will often be a financial impact, too – vets’ bills, the cost of putting right damage caused by panicking animals and, in extreme cases, the death of livestock.

Sheep, for instance, may fall and injure themselves or become entangled in barbed wire or electric fencing while trying to escape.

Pregnant ewes may miscarry due to the stress and lambs can become separated from their mothers, leading to hypothermia or starvation.

The problem isn't limited to sheep. Other domesticated animals, even cattle and horses, are not immune; they can be chased and bitten, causing panic and potential injury.

In one case our officers dealt with last year, a horse was bitten on its face, while in another, out-of-control dogs invaded a goat enclosure, causing significant distress. And there were three separate attacks on pregnant ewes which, sadly, resulted in their deaths.

Even if your dog doesn’t physically harm a farm animal, it can cause them a lot of stress simply by chasing them. It is a criminal offence under The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 to allow a dog to worry livestock. If convicted, you can face a fine of up to £1,000.

And did you know that farmers on their own land are legally allowed to shoot dogs who worry their animals?

Our Rural Engagement Team has specialist training and knowledge of rural crimes. We will investigate incidents of dogs worrying livestock reported to us.

In our experience, the farmer or livestock owner rarely wants to see the dog owner prosecuted, they just want to make sure the dog won’t attack livestock again. So we’ll work with them to achieve this, often by means of a community resolution or a court order. Conditions can include ensuring the dog or dogs are kept on a lead or muzzled in public.

And we’ll look to ensure that the victim is properly supported, for example by the offender agreeing to pay compensation for veterinary bills or loss of livestock.

Last year, ten UK police forces started a trial to tackle dog attacks on livestock. Officers collect DNA samples from bite wounds or saliva which are then analysed in forensic labs to create a profile. This profile is compared with DNA from suspect dogs and can identify the attacker.

It’s a great scheme because it holds dog owners accountable and promotes responsible dog ownership, while deterring future attacks.

But there are some very simple precautions dog owners can take to avoid attacks on livestock in the first place.

When out walking, always keep your dog on a lead. Livestock may be moved between fields or at different times of the day so you may come across animals unexpectedly. Well-trained dogs, of any breed, can attack without warning so don’t think it could never happen with your dog.

If you live near livestock grazing areas, ensure your gardens and grounds are secure to prevent your pet or pets from escaping.

Farmers, too, can reduce the risks of a dog attack by securing their fields – keeping their livestock in and other animals out – and educating the public by putting up informative signs on gates or fences near livestock.

As with all crime and anti-social behaviour, we urge anyone seeing a dog chasing or attacking livestock to report it to the police and to provide as much evidence as you can, including images.

Many grazing fields are remote, so farmers may wish to consider installing an affordable, wireless CCTV solution which could capture vital evidence in the event of a livestock worrying incident.

By taking preventative measures and promoting responsible dog ownership, we can all work together to protect livestock and support our farming communities. Co-operation and awareness are crucial in reducing dog attacks on livestock.

• Visit our rural crime webpages for specific crime prevention advice
• Find out more about our farm and rural watch scheme

You can read Terry’s column every other month in NFU Countryside magazine. The above column is published in the February 2025 issue.

Report information to us

Anyone who experiences or who has information about crime or anti-social behaviour, should ring 999 if it’s an emergency or a crime in progress.

Otherwise, you can report it online where you can also provide information directly to an online Live Chat operator at any time. Alternatively, you can ring 101.

You can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, online or by calling 0800 555 111.