The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983

Defences to legal proceedings for shooting dogs N.I.

30.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article, it shall be a defence to an action against a person to recover damages in respect of, and to any charge arising out of, the shooting of a dog for that person to prove—

(a) that the dog was worrying or was about to worry livestock and there were no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying; or

(b) that the dog had been worrying livestock, had not left the vicinity and was not in the charge of any person and there were no practicable means of ascertaining to whom the dog belonged.

(2) Paragraph (1)(a) or (b) shall be deemed to have been satisfied if that person believed that it was satisfied and had reasonable ground for that belief.

(3) Paragraph (1) shall not confer a defence on any person unless he proves that—

(a) the land on which the livestock was was occupied by him or by any person under whose express or implied authority he was acting or was land (including a highway or public path) contiguous to any such land; and

(b) within 48 hours of the shooting of the dog notice of it was given to a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary at the nearest police station to the place where it occurred.