Dogs shot after sheep attack

Two dogs were shot dead after sheep were attacked on Jenkinstown mountain last Wednesday.

This was the latest incident in which flocks of sheep have been attacked by dogs in the north Louth area.

‘Sheep farmers are under siege with dog attacks now a weekly or daily occurrence,’ said Matthew McGreehan, chairperson of the IFA’s Cooley branch.

While there were no sheep killed in this attack, the flock were in lamb and the farmer will be waiting anxiously as the traumatised ewes could abort the lambs before their due date. The dog warden was called to the scene and the owners of the dogs traced.

‘ The IFA want to see a central data base for recording the owners of all dogs which is linked to the dogs microchip,’ said Matthew. ‘We also need an all Ireland data base where the warden in Co Armagh can cooperate with the warden in Co Louth if dogs travel from their residence and attack sheep in another jurisdiction.’

He said that people were still letting their dogs loose despite media coverage of the dog attacks. ‘Unfortunately the message does not seem to be getting through to dog owners that running free their dog can be a killer.’