Off lead walking

Did you know that your dog only needs to be off lead in the same field as sheep for you to be committing an offence? Under The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 worrying is defined as attacking livestock, chasing livestock or simply being at large in a field or enclosure where there are sheep, meaning if your dog is not on a short, fixed lead an offence is being committed, regardless of whether your dog is bothering the sheep or not! The only exceptions are police dogs, guide dogs, working gun dogs or trained sheepdogs.