Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953

2 Enforcement.

(1) As respects an offence under this Act alleged to have been committed in respect of a dog on any agricultural land in England or Wales, no proceedings shall be brought except—

(a) by or with the consent of the chief officer of police for the police area in which the land is situated, or

(b) by the occupier of the land, or

(c) by the owner of any of the livestock in question.

(2) Where in the case of a dog found on any land—

(a) a police officer has reasonable cause to believe that the dog has been worrying livestock on that land, and the land appears to him to be agricultural land, and

(b) no person is present who admits to being the owner of the dog or in charge of it,

then for the purpose of ascertaining who is the owner of the dog the police officer may seize it and may detain it until the owner has claimed it and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention.

(3) Subsections (4) to (10) of section three of the [6 Edw. 7. c. 32.] Dogs Act, 1906 (which provide for the disposal of dogs seized under subsection (1) of that section if unclaimed after seven days) shall apply in relation to dogs seized under the last preceding subsection as they apply in relation to dogs seized under subsection (1) of that section (which provides for the seizure and detention of dogs found in highways and places of public resort and believed to be stray dogs).