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The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called for the prohibition of dogs on all hills and commonages in the country.
The IFA sheep committee’s senior policy executive Tomas Bourke was speaking alongside committee chair Adrian Gallagher at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture which was holding a session on dog control and sheep worrying on Wednesday.
Bourke said that this ban would be a quick action that supports the association’s No Dogs Allowed campaign.
“We need to announce a ban on all dogs on all hills and commonage grounds because it cannot be policed. We’re now at the height of people and walkers walking through our lands, bringing their dogs with them.”
However, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) sheep chair Willie Shaw argued that this measure would not be enforceable and pushed for a law to keep dogs on leads.
Measures
The IFA also said that dog owners who fail to keep their pets under control should be disqualified from dog ownership.
Adrian Gallagher said the option exists for the courts to disbar ownership of protected animals if there is a failure to comply with welfare obligations in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
In addition, the IFA along with the other associations involved in the meeting called for greater funding and powers for an Garda Síochána and dog wardens, greater education for dog owners, and a national dog microchipping and DNA database.
“Given the devastation caused by an increasing number of dog attacks on sheep in particular, zero tolerance has to be the policy,” he said.
“The Animal Health and Welfare Act sanctions should be extended to irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets cause this devastation on farms.”
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