Legal defences against dog shooting damages
On encountering an attack on sheep, the first priority must be to stop the attack immediately, apprehend the marauding dog or dogs and look after the welfare of the sheep, farmers are advised by IFA National Sheep Chairman John Lynskey.
He said the 1984 Control of Dogs Act states it shall be a defence to any action for damages against a person for shooting a dog, or to any charge arising out of the shooting of a dog, if the defendant proves the dog was shot when worrying or about to worry livestock and there was no other reasonable means of ending/preventing the worry.
