Animal crime
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
- dog theft
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 or Rural 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
Hunting includes the chasing, capturing or killing of animals and birds.
Not all hunting is a crime, but there are many different laws to protect the different species of animals and birds. These laws cover things like:
- where you can hunt
- when you can hunt
- if you can use dogs or not
- the types of weapons and traps that can be used
Many animals are also protected by law, meaning it’s illegal to hunt them at any time unless you have special exemptions.
If you’re planning to go hunting, it’s important to know what is legal and not.
Find out more:
Illegal hunting
Types of illegal hunting
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.
We work with the RSPCA to investigate cases of animal cruelty.
If your partner, ex-partner or a family member has harmed or threatened to harm your pet, this can be a form of domestic abuse. Find out more about animal cruelty and domestic abuse.
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.
Banned dogs
In the UK, it's against the law to own certain types of dog. Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name.
It's a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption.
You can find more information about banned dogs.
If you think someone has or is breeding dogs, please report it online.
If you see a banned dog loose or it seems to be out of control, please report it online or call 101.
Dog theft
Before you report a dog theft to us, please make sure it hasn’t:
- escaped and run away
- been taken for a walk by someone else
If you think your dog has been stolen you can report it online.
Be ready to give us as much information as you can, including:
- name
- microchip number
- description
- when you last saw them
- what happened when they disappeared
- details of anyone who may have access to your dog
- descriptions of people or vehicles seen acting suspiciously in the area
You should also:
- tell your local council who may have a dog warden responsible for stray dogs
- tell your microchip database your dog is missing
- consider advertising for your dog on websites, at local vet’s and rescue centres, and on park notice boards