Stricter enforcement needs to be brought in for the microchipping of dogs, according to the chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association’s National Hill Committee Flor McCarthy.
Speaking today (Thursday, January 10) on local radio station Radio Kerry, the chairman underlined the problem of dogs not having microchips implanted.
McCarthy said: “They are readily identified if there’s a chip in them – but not all dogs have this chip.
“That is the problem and it isn’t being enforced enough. I think that needs to be enforced,” he said.
“Having dogs all around the country wandering – if they aren’t chipped they need to be taken out of the system; because you can’t just have dogs wandering free.”
He added that dog attacks are a big concern for sheep farmers and some owners don’t realise that their dog must be kept under control at all times.
Dog attacks have been a topic under the spotlight a good deal in recent days. On December 27, a Co. Cavan farmer lost seven sheep in an attack involving two dogs – a black Labrador and an English setter.
Meanwhile, a farmer in Co. Sligo has threatened to shoot any dogs found on his land – with or without a lead – following a number of attacks on flocks in his local area.