Farmers have been advised to “shoot dogs” if they are worrying their sheep on their land, by the sheep chairs of two of the country’s largest farming organisations.
According to the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) sheep chair, Kevin Comiskey, it is a “horrendous situation” at the minute for sheep farmers because of ongoing dog attacks.
Comiskey said farmers are always in their right to shoot the dog on their land if it is found to be worrying, attacking or distressing sheep.
“I’d have no issue with doing the same if I got a dog on my own land, and I’d advise farmers to do the same because it is a horrendous situation at the minute,” he told Agriland.
Sean McNamara, sheep chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), said there are dog attacks on sheep somewhere in Ireland nearly every day now.
Farmers are entitled to shoot the dogs, he said, and until the law is changed, with more dog wardens and tougher fines, it is the “only option” that farmers have at the moment.
Dog drives sheep into ocean
Gardaí are currently investigating a dog attack in Magheroarty Dooey, Co. Donegal where several sheep were driven into the ocean, leaving some dead and others missing earlier this week.
Flock owner Mary Doohan said she is heartbroken over the death of her sheep which were heavy and in lamb when they were attacked by a Collie, leaving them with no possibility but to drown in the sea.
Five sheep are still missing, while a four-week-old lamb was found with a broken spine and one ewe had her back bitten out. Another ewe was washed back in from the ocean, she said.
Doohan said a walker saw the dog attacking the flock.
According to Doohan, the walker approached the dog owner who subsequently went into the water and took his dog off one of the sheep.
Doohan said the walker told her that the dog owner “didn’t even try to help pulling any of the other sheep. He just took his dog – obviously he was just interested in the fact that if he was found there, he would have to pay”.
The dog has not been located but she hopes that CCTV footage from a local school will help to identify the owner of the dog.
Gardaí have confirmed that no arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.
The dog attack on her flock on commonage land is the third to date. Last month two of her sheep were also killed after a dog drove them into a fence. Doohan also told Agriland that in 2021 a Huski, which was left for a period of time on the beach, killed 22 of her sheep.
Following this incident the landowner had someone actively hunt for the dog, however she said that once the dog leaves the commonage and goes on the beach, it cannot be shot.
Doohan said there are numerous signs asking walkers to keep their dogs on leads and she frequently approaches people and directly asks them to adhere to the rules because of the fact that there are sheep.
“Some people are lovely and then other people are very disrespectful and you just have to walk away,” she said, adding that some people think they are entitled to roam where they want.
“I really don’t know what we can do next because you are dealing with the ignorance of people and their lack of caring as to what their dog can do,” she said.