'It’s time for decisive action to protect livestock': Farmers launch 2024 dogs campaign
IFA president Francie Gorman with Adrian Gallagher, sheep committee chairman and Michael Boyce, as they launch the IFA’s 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign on Michael Boyce’s farm outside Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Picture: Clive Wasson
Farmers have voiced their anger with Government and local authorities that they say "continue to ignore the deepening issue of dog attacks on livestock".
Launching the Irish Farmers' Association's 2024 ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign, president Francie Gorman said the association first launched the campaign in 2021 and despite continuous appeals for action, the issue persists.
“The lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners has allowed these attacks to persist and increase across the country and it is unacceptable,” Mr Gorman said.
“Farmers have had enough and it’s time for decisive action to protect our livestock. We are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement for those who disregard the safety and wellbeing of our livestock immediately."
IFA national sheep chairman Adrian Gallagher said that stronger regulations announced by Minister Heather Humphreys in November were a "step in the right direction", but they do not go far enough to protect livestock from dog attacks.
Among the measures proposed by the Working Group of Control of Dogs were stricter regulations and increased enforcement on the ground to tackle the issue of irresponsible dog ownership.
“It is unacceptable that these practical proposals have not been acted on. IFA has consistently called for appropriate sanctions and to develop a single national database identifying dogs and their owners, similar to that in other jurisdictions,” Mr Gallagher said.
“Implementing stronger legislation and sanctions reflective of the damage and trauma these dogs cause on farms has been key to our campaign and would be a significant step in delivering for farmers.
“Stronger regulations and increased sanctions must be implemented to ensure that dog owners understand their responsibilities and the consequences of failing to fulfil them."
The IFA said that increased resources as recommended in the Working Group of Control of Dogs report are vital for owners of dogs found worrying livestock to be sanctioned with significant on-the-spot fines while providing stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí, particularly at a time when a dog owner is liable for damages associated to an attack on livestock.
“It’s a critical time of the year as lambing commences and has warned dog owners that dogs are not allowed on or near farmland and to behave in a responsible way and adhere to this,” Mr Gallagher added.
“It is also important to remind dog owners that they are fully liable for any damages caused to farmers and their livestock and dogs found on our lands can be shot."
The IFA will participate in a new Dog Control Stakeholder Group aimed at addressing dog control issues in the coming weeks.
The IFA has a number of key asks in this area:
- A single national database for all dogs correlating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog;
- Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs;
- Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity on these powers;
- Increased on-the-spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements;
- Increased sanctions and on-the-spot fines for failing to have the dog under control;
- Significant on-the-spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock;
- Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the National Veterinary Prescribing System;
- Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the state.
