Two serious dog attacks over the last week have highlighted the stark challenges facing sheep farmers in protecting their flocks. The incidents include 20 sheep killed in an attack in Cork, with the possibility of many more having to be euthanised, and seven sheep killed/injured in an attack in Clare.

IFA national sheep chair Adrian Gallagher described the incidents as a stark reminder of the “ongoing crises of irresponsible dog ownership”. According to Gallagher, dog attacks are escalating due in part to “the absence of a centralised database to identify those responsible for their dogs and the lack on enforcement on the ground”. He highlighted how poor enforcement is, stating that “based on the latest published figures of implementation of the Local authorities, it is clear the existing obligations of dog owners are not been enforced with only 311 prosecutions initiated and just 34% of the 1,858 on spot fines paid in 2023”.

According to Gallagher, an added complexity to achieving better results is the fact that current laws fall between two different Departments, with neither taking full responsibility.

“Dog ownership laws currently fall between two different Departments which has led to gaps in oversight, enforcement, and accountability undermining the efforts to address the issue,” he said.

“IFA has put forward strong measures that are needed to control dog attacks to both ministers responsible for this area, but we have not seen any progress on any of these proposals as the devastation continues.

“Both incidents are another act of failure from Government to put actions in place to deal with irresponsible dog ownership across the country. It’s a national crisis that needs a solution immediately. The time for talking is over, dog attacks on livestock have reached unprecedented levels and farmers have had enough.

“The level of sanctions that are in place do not reflect the level of trauma these dogs are causing. We urge the Government to act swiftly to restructure responsibilities and introduce robust measures to address dog attacks on livestock.”