IFA demands tighter dog control measures after Cork farmer's sheep 'torn to bits' 

Twelve-year-old Ciara Cronin nursing one of the lambs who was badly injured in a savage attack by dogs on their farm at Lower Killeens, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Warning: This article contains pictures of a distressing nature.

The Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA) is to call for the urgent introduction of tighter dog control measures to stop the slaughter of livestock.

The IFA will spell out its demands when it appears before the joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture on Wednesday, as estimates suggest there could be up to 300 such dog attacks a year.

It comes in the wake of the latest dog attack on sheep on farmland on the outskirts of Cork City in which one lamb was beheaded, several others were “torn to bits”, a ewe was killed and another seriously injured.

Farmer Dan Cronin said the attack near Blarney has had a devastating attack on his family, but especially on his daughter, Ciara, 12.

“The lambs were her pride and joy,” he said.

“It’s her job on the farm to look after the sheep. She helped deliver the lambs, she feeds them, she wants to be a vet but when she saw what happened, she’s just so upset.” 

They were still caring for several injured animals at their farm on Tuesday.

Witnesses reported seeing two lurchers, and a Jack russell-type dog attacking the animals on Friday evening. 

One animal was driven from a field, over a ditch, and had to be rescued from the river Martin.

Dan Cronin with his daughter Ciara holding one of the lambs who was badly injured in a savage attack by dogs on their farm at Lower Killeens, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

Mr Cronin has also confirmed he plans to restrict public access to his land given the risks posed to his livestock from irresponsible dog owners.

The IFA said sheep farmers were more affected by the irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners than other sectors, and it said the lack of Government action was allowing this behaviour to continue to a point where sheep farmers were having their flocks savaged by dogs on an almost daily basis.

“You will hear about the major attacks that take place, but this is a problem that is not just confined to sporadic large-scale slaughtering of sheep by dogs,” a spokesman said.

There is not a day goes by that sheep farmers throughout the country do not encounter their flocks worried, run into fences and drains and some sheep savaged.

“These cases do not make the headlines, but they are happening and are an indication of the extent of the problem. This must stop.” 

The IFA said Government inaction in this area led to the launch by the IFA three years ago of its ‘No dogs allowed on our land’ campaign and while there were “positive soundings” coming from Government, the problem had gone on for far too long.

“There must be real and meaningful action and we need it now,” the spokesman said.

A decapitated lamb after a savage attack by dogs on Dan Cronin's farm at Lower Killeens, near Blarney, Co Cork. 

Among the key demands from the IFA is the introduction of a single national database for all dogs, correlating licensing and microchipping, and identifying the person responsible for the dog. But it will also call for:

• Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs;
• Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and gardaí and clarity of 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 a dog under control;
• Significant on-the-spot fines for the owners of dogs that are found worrying livestock;
• A legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed, and identified on the National Veterinary Prescribing System prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners;
• And authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the State.

Last Friday's dog attack has been reported to gardaí in Blarney, who are investigating.

It is the latest in a series of dog attacks on flocks of sheep and lambs in recent months, with incidents reported in Kerry, Tipperary, Offaly, and Kildare.

Last December, 45 sheep were killed and a further 20 were put down due to injuries after a savage dog attack on lands at Ballymacegan, Lorrha in Co Tipperary.

That came just weeks after 48 lambs were killed during a dog attack in Moneygall, and after 12 sheep were killed by dogs in Co Kildare.