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Midlands Farmers Ask Government And Public For Attitude Change Over Dog Attacks

Thursday, 7 March 2024 08:14

IFA President, Ballinakill's Francie Gorman says the Government are ignoring the issue of dog attacks.

Sheep continue to be in danger due to the lack of action from the Government to stop dog attacks on farms.

That's the view of the Irish Farmers Assocation who are highlighting their issue with a 'No Dogs Allowed' Campaign. 

They say sheep at this time of year are particularly at risk from wild dogs as they will be lambing in the next few weeks.

John Healy, from Moneygall in Tipperary, lost 50 sheep on his farm following a dog attack in December 2022.

He says Gardaí were never able to track down the dogs responsible:

The IFA's Westmeath Chair Richard O'Brien says farmers need co-operation from the public as well:

IFA President Francie Gorman says: 

“The lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners has allowed these attacks to persist and increase across the country and it is unacceptable,” Francie Gorman said.

“Farmers have had enough and it’s time for decisive action to protect our livestock. We are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement for those who disregard the safety and wellbeing of our livestock immediately,”

IFA National Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said stronger regulations announced by Minister Humphreys in November was a step in the right direction but does not go far enough to protect livestock from dog attacks.

He says : “It is unacceptable that these practical proposals have not been acted on. IFA have consistently called for appropriate sanctions and to develop a single national database identifying dogs and their owners, similar to that in other jurisdictions,” Adrian Gallagher said.

“The critical issue in the first instance is to have all dogs in the country microchipped, registered to the owner and licensed in order to establish a national database for all dogs and the person responsible for the dog,” he said.

“Implementing stronger legislation and sanctions reflective of the damage and trauma these dogs cause on farms has been key to our campaign and would be a significant step in delivering for farmers,”

“Stronger regulations and increased sanctions must be implemented to ensure that dog owners understand their responsibilities and the consequences of failing to fulfil them,” he added.

IFA has consistently specified what needs to be acted on to the Ministers with responsibility in this area including:

1. A single National Database for all dogs correlating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog, but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.

2. Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.

3. Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity on these powers.

4. Increased on the spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements.

5. Increased sanctions and on the spot fines for failing to have the dog under control.

6. Significant on the spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock.

7. Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the NVPS (National Veterinary Prescribing System) prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners.

8. Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the state.

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