New regulations on dog control – A first step, but more needed says IFA

IFA Sheep Chairman Kevin Comiskey said stronger regulations and funding for dog control announced by Minister Humphreys is a first step in addressing this ongoing issue, but more must be done to protect livestock from dog attacks.

New regulations will see dog owners face €300 on the spot fines for failing to keep their dogs under control, coming into effect on December 1.

Acknowledging the new regulations were a step in the right direction, Kevin Comiskey said more needs to be done to protect farmers and their livestock.

IFA had looked for a single National Database for all dogs to correlate licensing and microchipping, identifying the person responsible for the dog, and increasing the number of dog wardens on the ground. This must be provided.

Kevin Comiskey said an essential aspect of enhanced legislation will be enforcement, which will require more dog wardens on the ground as recommended in the report of the working group of control of dogs put forward to the Minister.

“It’s disappointing more of the positive measures put forward by the working group on control of dogs were not implemented. These would provide significant support to farmers in protecting their livestock,” he said.

Kevin Comiskey said the new stakeholder group announced must convene immediately and commence work on bringing forward the proposals of the working group.

He said the irresponsible behaviour of dog owners continues to lead to devastating consequences across the country.

The IFA Sheep Chairman said dogs should not be allowed near farmland and urged all dog owners to behave in a responsible way and adhere to this.

New dog control measures will have little effect says INHFA.

Recent proposals announced by Minister Heather Humphreys on dog control have been slammed by the Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) who have described the Ministers proposals as tokenism.

Speaking on this INHFA Vice President John Joe Fitzgerald stated “how ongoing farmer concern around dog attacks has not been listened to or if it has the Minister has chosen to ignore it.”

“For sheep farmers the most devastating thing that can happen is to have their flock attacked and mauled by dogs and unfortunately this is happening way to often” said Fitzgerald.

When proposals for an inter-departmental committee to examine the issue of dog control were outlined, we were, stated Fitzgerald “hopeful that real proposals backed by a substantial budget to ensure enforcement would accompany this.

“However, what we have got is a token effort with no recognition of concerns detailed by farmers both on our lowlands and on our hills, where the problem is exacerbated by some hill walkers that defy requests to not bring dogs onto our hills.”

Staying with the issue of hill walkers, the INHFA Vice President detailed “his concerns around the abuse farmers are getting when they try and prevent people bringing dogs onto their lands.”

This abuse, he added, “is getting to a dangerous level and it is incumbent on the Minister and Government to recognise this and act before it’s too late.”