CONCERNS that current legislation could hinder police in dealing effectively with dog attacks on livestock has resulted in one force taking part in a new initiative.

Since September 2013, there have been 325 reported dog attacks on livestock in North Yorkshire - with a similar picture in other rural force areas.

With lambing season currently underway, North Yorkshire Police has joined up with four other police forces, Sheepwatch UK and the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England to launch a drive to gather more information about dog attacks on livestock and the power of police to deal with them.

The forces will examine how the incidents are reported, recorded and handled, to assess whether the law needs to be changed or updated.

Injury to livestock can cost owners thousands of pounds, but police and countryside campaigners are concerned there may be gaps in the current laws which make it difficult to deal with the issue effectively.

Chief Constable Dave Jones of North Yorkshire Police, who is the national policing lead for rural and wildlife crime, said: “Our experience of dealing with dog attacks suggests that there are some areas of the current legislation that could be improved. For example, the definition of livestock doesn’t cover all the types of animals that we know can be affected.

“In some cases, the police can’t legally seize a dog that has been involved in an attack, which makes it difficult to prevent the same thing happening again

“And whilst livestock damage can be extremely costly for the animals’ owner, the maximum fine under law is relatively low and can be disproportionate to the loss.

“We believe that there may be scope for the law to be tightened up, but we need hard evidence to confirm it.

“Through the initiative we have launched this week, five rural Forces will start to gather more details about dog attacks on livestock so that, if the evidence supports it, we can present a clear case to support a change in the law.”

A dog attack evidence initiative was launched on March 21 at the House of Lords in Westminster, where representatives from North Yorkshire Police, together with farming and livestock associations, discussed the issue of livestock worrying and dog control with MPs from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare.

The initiative will last approximately six months with an initial report expected in September.

Meanwhile, police are calling for dog owners to be responsible when out in the countryside and keep pets on a leash around livestock. The force is also urging farmers to report any incident of dog worrying by calling 101.