Dog owners are being reminded to know where their pets are at all times following an attack on a sheep flock in Co. Kerry today (Friday, March 3).
The sheep farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Agriland that his flock of upland ewes and lambs were grazing when they were set upon by two dogs.
He said that an old ewe that was not in lamb was caught by the dogs and suffered serious injuries to her body.
The ewe was still alive when she was found by the farmer and was put down by a vet.
It is understood that the pair of dogs were caught by neighbours before they could do more damage. They have since been reclaimed by their owner and are to be put down.
The farmer said that the remainder of the flock, many of which are in lamb, were unharmed but were shaken by the incident.
Dog attack
Speaking to Agriland, chair of the west Kerry branch of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA), John Joe Fitzgerald said that dog attacks are very upsetting for sheep farmers, especially at this time of the year.
“We’re very mindful at the moment that farmers are lambing and we would tell owners to know where your dog is from morning to evening. Don’t bring your dog onto farmland or onto hills and keep your dog on a leash.
“If you’re leaving your dog out onto the yard or into your garden make sure there’s a long chain on them to keep them tied up.
“Always know where your dog is because even a family pet can do an awful lot of damage.”
Fitzgerald, who is a sheep farmer himself, said that any dog attack can have a serious impact on the surviving animals in the flock.
“They’re always scared. They probably won’t come back into into lamb. If they are heavy in lamb they may abort the lambs. It can decimate flocks when this happens.
“The mental health of the farmer is also affected. It is not a very nice sight to see,” he said.
Working group
In January, the government announced the establishment of a working group, which will examine issues around dog control and ownership.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, and the Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys, agreed to form the group during a meeting on how their departments may address ongoing concerns around the topic.
The group will examine issues such as fines under the Control of Dogs Act, enforcement at local authority level, the provision of dog wardens, microchipping, promoting responsible dog ownership and dog licenses.
However, Fitzgerald said that farming organisations should play a central role in the new working group.
“It needs to be farmer driven because it is our animals that are getting killed or seriously maimed at the moment.
“We need the ministers to move fairly rapidly on this,” he said.
Along with tough penalties, increased enforcement and more dog wardens, the west Kerry INHFA chair said that there should also be a ban on recreational users bringing dogs onto farmland and hills.
Fitzgerald said that he is aware of farmers in the county who have stopped going onto the hills at weekends due to the abuse they have received from walkers when asked to remove their dogs.