A reminder is being issued to all dog owners to act responsibly and always keep your dog(s) under effectual control and accompanied at all times, especially around livestock as we approach lambing season.
Every year the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) receive reports that sheep have been injured or killed, ewes miscarrying their lambs, due to being chased and attacked by uncontrolled dogs. This causes horrendous stress and financial loss not only to sheep farmers, but it is also a serious animal welfare concern too.
The ISPCA is now calling on all dog owners to be responsible and vigilant by always keeping their dog(s) on a lead, and not allowing them to roam freely in rural areas resulting in devastating consequences for both the animals and the owners involved. By keeping dogs securely under control to safeguard the welfare of sheep and their newborns, it will also prevent unnecessary animal suffering and a financial burden for everyone involved.
“Under the Control of Dogs Act, dog owners can be prosecuted and held financially liable for any damage caused to sheep or lambs,” Tristan Blundell, ISPCA Dog Warden Service Manager said. “Leaving a dog unattended even for a brief period in an unsecured back garden could be a risk. This may seem innocent, but it can lead to even the calmest of dogs joining forces with other dogs and attacking sheep, causing severe harm and distress to vulnerable livestock. This is a serious animal welfare concern and causes a huge level of emotional stress and financial worry to sheep and livestock farmers around the country”.
It is a legal requirement that all dogs are kept under “effectual control and accompanied at all times when in a public place”, all dogs be kept on a lead when you are in a public place and especially near livestock.
If you are a gog owner, your dog must wear a dog collar/harness with your contact phone number, name and address attached on your dog’s ID Tag. Your dog must be microchipped with the owner’s current details on the microchipping database always kept up to date.
