Attacks on sheep can have devastating impact on farmers
Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Charlie McConalogue TD and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD visited Donie Anderson’s farm at Glenasmole (Image: Julien Behal Photography)

Attacks on sheep can have devastating impact on farmers

MINISTERS visited a Tallaght farm to launch a campaign to remind dog owners of their responsibilities and to highlight the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks as lambing season approaches.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD visited Donie Anderson’s farm in Glenasmole, Tallaght, to launch the awareness campaign.

Latest figures revealed that there have been 240 incidences of ‘Livestock worrying’ recorded by local authorities in 2020, with a similar number expected when the 2021 returns are completed.

The issue is one of grave concern to the farming community and has been an ongoing issue in recent years, causing injury or death to sheep and can cause distress and financial loss for farmers.

Speaking at the campaign launch, Minister Humphreys said that attacks on sheep can have a “devastating impact” on farmers, their business and their families.

“As the lambing season begins, we are hearing more and more reports of incidents in Rural Ireland.

“Some 2.5 million lambs will be born on farms all over Ireland this springtime,” she said.

“Our farmers are the backbone of our community and any incident that puts their livestock at risk can have a detrimental impact on the animals and the farmer in question.

“So, I’m appealing to dog owners today, particularly in rural areas, to please keep your dogs on the leash and be vigilante at all times.”

Minister McConalogue emphasised that reports suggest that up to 4,000 sheep are killed or seriously injured in dog attacks annually and that responsible pet ownership is a priority, advising that all dogs must be microchipped under the law.

‘‘Dog owners must take responsibility for their pets, which must be under control at all times – remember, even the gentlest family pet can kill or maim sheep and lambs.

“Never let your dog out unsupervised, especially at night,” he said.

“By law, every dog must be microchipped and the possession, movement, sale or supply of an unchipped dog is an offence.

“I am committed to working with Minister Humphreys to ensure sheep-worrying by dogs becomes a thing of the past, and our officials are working together to improve enforcement of the laws applicable to dogs.”

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