Could this UK initiative between farmers and dog owners work in Ireland?
The UK's National Sheep Association (NSA) has announced a new partnership with a dog walking app, with the goal of reducing the likelihood of livestock worrying incidents.
The initiative sees the NSA work alongside BudApp, a mobile app for dog owners that now displays livestock alerts to users when sheep are present on walking routes - an approach that could offer a blueprint for tackling the issue in Ireland.
The collaboration comes as sheep worrying continues to pose a serious threat to sheep farmers, with reports of attacks by dogs still causing distress, injury, and death to livestock across the UK and Ireland.
While no similar partnership currently exists in Ireland, the initiative raises the question of whether Irish farm organisations could work with digital platforms to improve awareness among dog owners before they set off on walks near livestock.
Livestock alerts
As part of the partnership, BudApp has introduced livestock information cards that automatically appear on walks where sheep are known to be present.
In addition to this, the app allows farmers and landowners to flag locations where there is livestock being kept, while also giving them the option to indicate preferred access routes to dog walkers.
NSA outlined that it has also developed a dedicated 'responsible dog walking' resource within the app, which offers guidance on countryside access, livestock safety, and the responsibilities of dog owners when walking near farm animals.
Speaking on the initiative, NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: "Most dog owners want to do the right thing, but they may not always realise the impact their dog's behaviour can have on livestock.
"By working with BudApp, we're helping to ensure walkers receive practical information exactly when and where they need it.
"Better awareness and understanding can make a real difference in reducing sheep worrying incidents and improving relationships between farmers and countryside users," he added.
Livestock worrying
According to the NSA, livestock worrying remains "a significant issue" for sheep farmers, with even normally well-behaved dogs being capable of chasing sheep through instinct.
The farming association noted that pregnant ewes can suffer miscarriages after being chased, while lambs and adult sheep may fall victim to "severe injuries or be killed".
The NSA highlighted that the financial and emotional impact of these attacks on farm families can be "considerable" as well.
BudApp
The founder of the dog walking app, Christian Jones outlined that the aim of the partnership is to prevent livestock worrying incident before there is even a chance for it to happen.
Jones said: "Dog walkers don't set out to cause harm - most just don't know livestock are there until it's too late.
"By working with NSA, we're able to give people that information at the point of decision, right inside the app.
"Our goal is to make countryside walks safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for everyone - including the farmers who care for the land and animals that make those walks so special," he added
NSA encouraged sheep farmers to make use of available tools that help inform the public about livestock presence, such as BudApp.
BudApp is currently not available for users in Ireland, with the app's focus solely dedicated to the UK.
