Escalating dog attacks on farms has led the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) to take a delegation to the Ministry of Rural and Community Development to discuss the “persistent failure of authorities” regarding the matter. Farmers are frustrated at the inactivity around measures to eliminate the potential for dog attacks, as well as the consequent economic losses incurred.
The IFA is motivating for a three-pronged strategy to rectify the issue. They want to establish a single national database for all owners of dogs in the country. This will confirm who is responsible for each hound.
They also want a much higher level of sanctions applied to those who cannot control their dogs, which worry and attack valuable livestock. Current sanctions are not commensurate with the transgressions.
In addition, the lack of a centralised database to confirm owners’ responsibility for dogs and the absence of legislation that enforces microchipping make the situation worse.
The IFA said that its “No Dogs Allowed” campaign, which motivates for farmland to be off limits for dogs, will endure until significant progress is made. They urged owners to respond to the campaign in a responsible way.