The development of a responsible pet ownership campaign is priority according to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM), due to increases in dog “aggression and sheep worrying”.
The department has said that it is working with the advisory council to develop the campaign, which aims to educate people on “how to keep and manage a dog appropriately”.
This comes after the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine made observations and recommendations today (Monday, May 22) based on the ‘Issues impacting dog welfare in Ireland’ report published in October, 2022.
“Some dogs are kept in conditions without adequate space or exercise. This can lead to problems with temperament,” Minister of State, Mary Butler said.
“Responsible pet ownership is about educating people on what they need to consider before deciding whether to get a dog.
“Breeding healthy dogs with the right characteristics and healthy conformations; and the responsibilities of dog owners towards others, especially with regard to issues such as aggression and sheep worrying,” Minister Butler added.
Farm organisations
According to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), every year between 3,000 and 4,000 sheep are killed in dog attacks.
Sinn Féin TD, Claire Kerrane spoke about concerns from farm organisations.
“There is very much a feeling out there, particular among the farm organisations and sheep farmers, that not enough has been done in order to make sure that this is wiped out as much as is possible.
“The IFA has repeatedly called for changes to legislation, tougher sanctions for those who fail to have their dog under control at all times and a single national database for all dogs in the country that identifies the person responsible,” Kerrane said.
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture asked that the government consider moving the motion along more quickly than it has been moving to date.
Dog welfare recommendations
The recommendations also looked at dog welfare and the importance of microchipping and licences.
The committee highlighted areas where the current microchipping system could be more effective, focusing on particular gaps and issues.
Kerrane said that the “full addresses of dog owners are not being uploaded to the system” and that all “relevant details need to be included”.
There are currently four microchip databases in Ireland. The committee recommended that the information on those databases be collated and stored in one central online portal.
According to Kerrane, the licensing system was described by a number of people who came before the committee as “utterly inadequate”.
The committee asked that the government work to pass the Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022, which will address the issues relating to the current dog licensing system.