Dog owners whose pets attack or cause distress to livestock could be hit with unlimited fines under new legislation backed by MPs.

The proposed law, tabled by Conservative ex-environment secretary Therese Coffey, aims to bolster police powers in tackling the issue of dogs attacking or chasing farm animals. The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, which covers England and Wales, picks up from where government plans were put on hold last year.

During the report stage of the bill, MPs voted to remove any cap on fines for those found guilty of livestock worrying offences. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Coffey said: “There’s no limit on that fine, it’s unlimited.” She highlighted that this would allow courts more discretion, noting: “I would still expect the Sentencing Council to issue guidelines in order for what would be appropriate. But it was deemed important in committee (stage) to make sure that we reinstate that element of making sure there could be an escalation or not some arbitrary cap that Parliament had decided once and for all on what the fine could be, again depending on the severity of the offence.”

Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed signalled Labour’s backing for the Bill, commenting: “Livestock worrying causes havoc up and down the country. The vast majority of dogs are, of course, loveable, good natured family pets and most owners, of course, are very responsible and would never dream of letting their pet chase down never mind attack livestock in the fields.

“However, a small minority of dogs are not kept under control, they run loose and they can aggressively chase down, attack and sometimes even kill livestock, leaving farmers to deal with the stress of their animals’ injury and death. I’m very pleased indeed that (Ms Coffey) and the minister have listened to calls made at second reading and during committee stage for stronger sanctions against owners of dogs involved in livestock worrying.”

He argued that the Bill could have been more stringent in disqualifying offenders from owning dogs, reports Bristol Live. During the third reading debate of the Bill, environment minister Rebecca Pow stated: “We know livestock worrying and attacks on livestock can have terrible impacts.”

She referenced a report indicating 34,000 incidents of livestock worrying each year, noting: “Not only is it terrifying in terms of animal welfare, but it actually has a very big economic cost it’s estimated about £2.4 million a year is lost in basically destroyed animals killed by dogs.”

Livestock worrying is already an offence under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. Measures included in Ms Coffey’s Bill allow for dental impressions and other relevant samples to be taken from dogs as part of evidence gathering. Camelids alpacas and llamas would also be included in the definition of livestock. The Bill received an unopposed third reading in the Commons and will undergo further scrutiny at a later date in the House of Lords.