Concerns have once again been raised regarding the control of dogs across Ireland, in particular in Co. Limerick, where several sheep were recently killed.
Agriland understands that 16 sheep were killed in the Ballinamuddy area of Galbally, Co. Limerick, an incident which gardaí have confirmed they are “aware of”.
The incident took place on December 27, 2023, and gardaí confirmed that “no offences have been disclosed” at this point.
The local community in Limerick posted a warning to dog owners on social media following the incident.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Limerick county chair, Sean Lavery, said that such attacks upon flocks of sheep at this time of year in particular, will have a significant impact on the upcoming lambing season on farms.
Lavery said: “Ewes are heavily in lamb and they’re not moving as fast, and also the ground conditions aren’t great at the moment.
“A flock of sheep in the summer can move a lot faster than pregnant ewes at this time of the year.
“People need to know where their dogs are, to make sure they have them under control, and that they’re not travelling the countryside,” he added.
Control of dogs
The attack comes just days after Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, launched a responsible dog ownership leaflet, which outlines the legal obligations for dog owners.
Under legislation, dog owners are required to provide appropriate care for their pet, which should have a licence and be microchipped and registered on an approved database.
Dogs must be kept “under effectual control” when in public places and wear a collar or harness with its owner’s contact details.
Funding has been secured for a large scale responsible dog ownership campaign during 2024.
A high-level stakeholder group will consider wider issues such as expanding the list of restricted breeds. This is in light of a series of recent incidents involving dog attacks.