Sligo IFA issues stark warning to dog owners over savage sheep attacks

MS. ROSE McDonnell, Chairperson, Sligo IFA Sheep Committee issued a strong warning to dog owners. She said “Dog owners can be held responsible for any losses involved in dog attacks on sheep, with serious financial and legal consequences. Farmers have a right to protect their sheep flock and can shoot a dog worrying, or about to worry their flock.”

Ms. McDonnell said the incidents of dog attacks on sheep increase at this time of year. She said “In recent weeks we have reports of attacks from all over the country. In county Louth alone, we have reports of 42 sheep killed in the last 2 months.”

Ms. McDonnell said marauding dogs can inflict horrendous damage on a sheep flock. Statistics collated by IFA indicate that the problem of dog attacks on sheep may be in the order of 300 to 400 attacks per annum, with 3,000 to 4,000 sheep injured and killed. Data on dog attacks gathered by the IFA shows an average of 11 sheep killed or injured per attack.

The Sligo IFA Sheep Farmers Chairperson issued a stark warning to all dog owners of their responsibility to keep their pets are under control at all times. “Unfortunately, IFA takes calls on a frequent basis from sheep farmers around the country who have suffered attacks. There are far too many dog owners not taking the responsibility that goes with owning a pet. Dog owners have an obligation to have their dog under control at all times”.

Ms. McDonnell reminded all dog owners, including farmers, that it is a legal requirement that they microchip and register their dogs. She said under the Animal Health and Welfare Act all dogs must be microchipped and registered on an authorised database since March 31st 2016.

Ms. McDonnell said IFA has a detailed Protocol to help farmers who encounter a dog attack on their sheep flock. The IFA protocol involves an easy-to- follow, 10-point Plan of Action covering what a farmer should do following a dog attack or sheep kill.

“Based on the feedback IFA gets from farmers who have had to deal with a dog attack on their flock, one of the biggest problems is the lack of information on what they should do, who they should contact and where can they get help.”

The IFA Protocol deals with these basic questions and also outlines important aspects of the law and how the dog warden service and the Garda can help. It also sets out how to keep a full record of the attack, which can be used as evidence at a later stage.

Ms. McDonnell also called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to re-run the TV advertisement campaign on responsible dog ownership from the 1980’s. She said the TV ad was an excellent reminder to warn dog owners about the dangers of letting their pet out at night and the serious damage they could do to a sheep flock. The key message was “Keep your dog under control. Running free he can be a killer.”