Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to instruct police forces in England and Wales to record dog attacks on livestock.

The Government recognises that dog attacks on livestock can cause considerable stress to livestock owners, as well as causing serious injury to the animals.

A range of powers are available to the police to tackle this issue, including offences provided for by the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 and Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and civil orders introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 which can be used to address nuisance behaviour involving dogs.

The police should record and investigate all crimes reported to them.