Life as a smallholder can often be fraught with the added danger of an incident of livestock worrying, this can often be more apparent if your land has public rights of way across it bringing a number of walkers and their dogs.

So what is life stock worrying? and what rights under the law do I have to protect my stock?

Under the Dogs (protection of livestock) Act a dog is deemed as worrying livestock if it is n Attacking livestock.

n Chasing livestock in such a way as may reasonably be expected to cause injury or suffering to the livestock or, in the case of females, abortion, or loss of or diminution in their produce.

n Being at large (that is to say not on a lead or otherwise under close control) in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.

Under the act the term 'livestock' does not refer only to sheep, it also covers cattle, horses, including mules and asses and poultry including domestic fowl such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.

If a dog wanders onto your land and is worrying or about to worry your livestock you do have certain rights under the Animals’ Act 1971 with regard to shooting it.

Defence For the purposes of any civil proceedings for killing or injuring a dog it is held as a defence if you can prove that .

n You were acting for the protection of the livestock and that you were entitled to do so n That within 48 hours of the killing or injury notice was given to your local police The interesting part of this Act is that a person who is acting for the protection of his livestock can shoot the animal if there are "no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying.

It could be argued in court that a reasonable means could be shouting at the dog, chasing it off or discharging a weapon above your head to scare it off.

The act also covers a dog that has been worrying or is about to and is still in the vicinity. If you know who owns the dog it may be easier to give them a call and get them to come and fetch it.

The possibility of their dog being shot will very quickly get them up to your land.

My advice for people who have persistent problems with dogs, especially dogs belonging to your neighbours, is to keep in contact with them and make a note of their phone numbers.

After all you have to live with these people and they need to be made aware of problems you are having with their dogs and the possible consequences.

If you are having problems with areas adjacent to footpaths then a simple sign on your land asking dog owners politely to keep dogs on a lead and give a reason why, for example you have pregnant livestock around.

There are very few dog owners who would ignore this.

Speak to your local police who, in certain circumstances, can issue the dog owner with a written undertaking to keep the dog under control. Of course there will be occasions when none of this is possible and your attempts to prevent damage or further damage to your stock by an uncontrolled dog with no apparent owner will leave you with no other option than to shoot it.