Calls for inspection flexibility for sheep farmers

Farming organisations have also called for action to be taken by authorities to protect sheep farmers from the 'irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners' after a spate of dog attacks on sheep in recent weeks

'There are very few sheep farmers in the country who have not had the horrendous experience of finding their flock savaged by dogs, yet the official figures recorded only 241 such incidents in 2020.'

Greater flexibility by the Department of Agriculture around sheep inspections during the busy lambing months is being sought for farmers.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association sector chair Sean McNamara said there were welfare issues in moving heavy in-lamb or recently lambed ewes; they do not need to be subjected to unnecessary stress.

“As sheep farmers, we are on duty 24 hours a day at this time of year.

“Inspections can pile the pressure on and unless they are absolutely necessary, they should be carried out in the quieter months,” he said.

Mr McNamara reminded dog owners not to become complacent about knowing where their pets are at all times.

Every lambing season, we see the same carnage caused by dogs around the country. Any dog can cause mayhem with livestock, if they are allowed to roam free. I cannot stress enough how important it is for dog owners to be extra vigilant, particularly at this time of year.

“Attacks on sheep and lambs are utterly preventable with responsible dog ownership,” he said.

Dog attacks on sheep flocks in recent weeks have led to renewed calls being made by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) on the Government for increased action to tackle the problem.

Statistics gathered by the IFA indicate that between 3,000 and 4,000 sheep are injured and killed in an estimated 400 attacks every year during the lambing season.

Sheep Committee chairman of the IFA Sean Dennehy said the Government and the various State agencies with responsibility continue to sit on their hands on the matter.

However, he said the number of dog attacks on sheep is grossly underreported, due to the lack of action from authorities when sheep kills and sheep worrying are reported by farmers.

“There are very few sheep farmers in the country who have not had the horrendous experience of finding their flock savaged by dogs, yet the official figures recorded only 241 such incidents in 2020.

“It’s not acceptable to farmers, who provide full traceability for seven million cattle and three million breeding sheep — where every animal is individually tagged and traceable to the person responsible for them — that a similar system is not in place for dog owners,” he said.

Mr Dennehy said there are an estimated 800,000 dogs in the country, with only 207,866 licences issued in 2020. This leaves almost 600,000 without identification, or association to a responsible keeper.

The IFA has met with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan seeking meaningful measures to protect sheep farmers from the “irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners”.

Mr Dennehy said a ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign, which it launched in early 2021, will continue until action is taken by Government to address this persistent problem.

Local authorities are responsible for the control of dogs under the Control of Dogs Act 1986. This act gives them the power to appoint dog wardens; provide dog shelters; seize dogs; impose on-the-spot fines; and take court proceedings against owners.

The most recent figures published by the local authorities for Control of Dogs for 2020 highlight the extent of the problem and severe lack of enforcement of the obligations on dog owners.

It is clear even the existing obligations of dog owners are not being enforced, with only 82 prosecutions initiated in 2020 and only 198 dogs seized, he said.

“There is an urgent need to strengthen the legislation, include appropriate sanctions, and develop a single national database identifying dogs and their owners, similar to that in other jurisdictions,” he said.