Donal Hickey: Unleashing dogs a big problem for farmers

Situation has come to a head again during pandemic

Sheep and lamb kill by dogs is a huge worry at this time of year for farmers.

Going on reports, and from what I see regularly, it seems the ongoing problem of people letting their dogs loose in parks, on the hills, and in the open countryside has got worse since Covid-19 became part of life.

The dogs can cause havoc to sheep flocks, with accounts of some terrified sheep jumping off cliffs to make their escape, Dogs also worry deer. With the lambing season underway, the situation is even more serious. Farmers, in particular, are both angry and frustrated and some say they only get words of abuse when they confront the dog-owners.