A dog attack on sheep in Connemara, Co Galway, has a left a farmer and his brother searching for injured ewes ran off his land’s cliffside by two dogs.
Tommy Coneys from Ballyconneely can account for less than half of his flock of 50 ewes after two dogs attacked his sheep on Sunday morning.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, the farmer said he came across the aftermath of the attack when bringing the sheep in to raddle a ram.
“They were grouped up and shocked, but I thought first that it was just because of the storm,” he commented as he prepared to set off searching for any injured ewes remaining on the cliffside.
“Some went out to sea and drowned, we know others are dead and more, like the Texel ram, look like they will have to be put down.
“The ram is humped up and his legs don’t look great after the attack. What’s dead is dead but it’s not until around lambing that we will see the full extent of the damage with what is aborting.”
Coneys stated that his high-quality Texel-cross ewes could cost €350/head to replace in-lamb.
He said that he saw one of the dogs chasing a neighbour’s sheep on commonage previously and both Gardaí and the local dog warden have been informed of the incident.
“The dogs must be put down. I don’t know how anyone could sleep at night if they knew their dogs were not at home.”
Prosecutions
Department of Rural Development figures for 2023 show that 420 livestock were reported as maimed, killed or put down as a result of dog attacks last year.
Some 1,858 fines were issued to dog owners for all dog-related offences brought to authorities’ attention in 2023, but fewer than half of these were paid.
A 2023 amendment to the Control of Dogs Act increased the fine for dog owners whose pets are found worrying sheep from €100 to €300.
Dog owners may also be hit with separate fines if their dogs are not wearing collars, muzzles or do not have a licence.
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Owners face new €300 fine if their dogs are found worrying livestock