Kerry farmer who lost more than 70 sheep to 'horrific' dog attack calls for bigger fines on owners

Mr McCarthy has called for fines of "at least" €4,000 on owners who do not control their dogs

Some 70 ewes and 20 lambs on the remote mountain at Gleesk, near Castlecove were chased, torn and many driven into the sea on Kenmare Bay. File picture: Dan Linehan

Many of the animals who died after a dog attack near Sneem, Co. Kerry, actually drowned, according to the farmer whose lambs suffered the horrific attack.

Patrick McCarthy called for much stronger on-the-spot fines and said too many dogs were not being controlled, even during the day. Some 70 ewes and 20 lambs on the remote mountain at Gleesk, near Castlecove were chased, torn and many driven into the sea on Kenmare Bay, he said.

In 40 years of farming, Mr McCarthy has never experienced this type of attack, though his flock has been previously targeted by loose dogs. The lambs were torn on their rear ends and some of the sheep had their throats cut.

He suspects at least two dogs were involved in the attack. The remainder of the flock are "terrified", and are being checked by a vet, he told interviewer Treasa Murphy on Radio Kerry.

If they sense a dog in their vicinity they lie down in the grass, simply terrified, he said, adding that dogs are not being controlled by their owners and some are being allowed to run loose during the day as well as at night.

Mr McCarthy has called for far stronger fines, of "at least" €4,000, than the current €100 on-the-spot fines on owners who do not control their dogs.

"It’s too serious. There’s too much damage done," Mr McCarthy said.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Meanwhile, there are further reports of dog attacks in Killarney National Park with large dogs being allowed off the leash by their owners and attacking smaller dogs. Warning notices not to let dogs, particularly dangerous breeds, off leash are regularly ignored in the park.

Local councillor and manager of Kenmare Mart, Dan McCarthy, said no compensation will pay the South Kerry farmer for the attack on his sheep. 

"People do not realise the consequences of this kind of attack," the councillor said. Mr McCarthy was a hard-working man and one of the few sheep farmers in the scenic area which is popular for holiday homes, he said.

"He would also be faced with trying to coax the remaining sheep to go back to their own part of the mountain again. Mountain sheep stayed in their own part of the mountain and this is where they brought their lambs, but an attack such as this might mean they would never settle on that part of the mountain again," the mart manager said.