Gardaí in Donegal are warning dog owners to keep their pets under control as lambing season is continuing for some sheep farmers.
In a post on Facebook, Gardaí in the county highlighted that dog attacks on sheep are a particular issue this time of year.
The post said: “An Garda Síochána in Donegal are reminding dog owners of the harm their pets can cause if let roam free or unsecured and not kept under effectual control.
“With dog ownership comes responsibility. Secure your dog, have it microchipped and registered with your vet,” the post highlighted.
It continued: “This time of year we see issues with sheep kills when dogs attack livestock. Dogs should not be allowed roam. It is lambing season.
“Please keep your family pet under effectual control,” Gardaí urged.
The issue of dog attacks on sheep is an ongoing one. Just last month, there were calls for legislation to ban dogs from farmland and hills before summer.
John Joe Fitzgerald, the vice-chairperson of Kerry Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), told Agriland early in March that “there are still dogs roaming around the place”.
He said there are concerns in Kerry that a proposed ban on dogs on Blue Flag beaches in the summer will cause more owners to bring their pets onto farmland and hills to exercise.
Fitzgerald explained that in July 2020 he had to confront a man who left his dog off the lead in the middle of his hill sheep flock. He also said that farmers had been verbally abused by owners when asked to take their pets off farmland.
The issue of farmers being intimidated by some dog walkers was also raised with Gardaí in Co. Clare last month.
Fine Gael TD for Clare Joe Carey said in mid-march that he had received a number of reports about farmlands being trespassed with dogs illegally hunting hares and subsequently, he made contact with the Clare Garda chief superintendent Sean Colleran to highlight the issue.