The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said that “urgent intervention” is needed from government to address the rising number of dog attacks on livestock.
The IFA National Sheep Committee chair Adrian Gallagher made the comments following a number of dog attacks on sheep this week.
Gallagher said that incidents had been reported in counties Roscommon, Sligo and Tipperary which had resulted in “significant losses” of animals for the farmers involved.
He said these are not isolated incidents but “part of a concerning trend that continues to devastate sheep farmers nationwide”.
Dog attacks
The IFA has repeatedly called for a centralised data base for all dogs which would correlate licensing and microchipping information.
Gallagher said that this would help to identify the owners of dogs that are suspected of being involved in attacking livestock.
The farm organisation has also asked the government to increase the number of dog wardens, but Gallagher said “this hasn’t happened”.
He said the lack of robust enforcement of existing laws continues to allow dogs to “run riot” on farms across the country.
“The government and various state agencies with responsibilities in this area have failed to put appropriate sanctions in place to deal with irresponsible dog ownership and its unacceptable.
“Farmers are losing patience with the authorities’ inactive response on the issue,” he said.
“Its time the authorities step up and recognise the gravity of the situation and take immediate and decisive action to address the issue,” Gallagher added.
The IFA National Sheep chair reminded all dog owners that they are fully liable for any damages caused to sheep by their pets.
He said dogs are not allowed in or near farmland and stressed the need for responsible conduct among dog owners to ensure the safety of farmers livestock.