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THE IRISH FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION is demanding stricter enforcement of dog licenses as part of measures to combat attacks on livestock.
The organisation is calling for dog owners to take more responsibility for their pets and how they interact with farm animals.
Relaunching a campaign it has named ‘No Dogs Allowed’, the IFA said it wants there to be a single national database for all dogs that connects licensing and microchipping information and the identity of the the person responsible for the dog.
It is calling for “full enforcement” of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs and increased on-the-spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements.
It also wants to see “significant” on-the-spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock and stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and gardaí.
IFA President Francie Gorman called on the new government to recognise dog attacks on livestock as a “deepening issue”.
“The devastation caused has to be brought home to those who think their dog would not be part of an attack on livestock,” Gorman said.
“Dog owners cannot absolve themselves of the wreckage left behind when sheep are attacked. The majority of responsible dog owners have a role here also,” he said.
He claimed that a “lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners has allowed horrendous attacks to persist and increase across the country”, calling the situation “unacceptable”.
“We are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement for those who disregard the safety and wellbeing of our livestock,” he said.
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Any dog unleashed and not under control, anywhere near livestock, is a target and rightly so.
@Róisín Flemping Bunt-Himmler: https://youtu.be/LIh0kMPdlUc?si=WRHrv7Hq8z5lt0Su
As a responsible dog owner I totally support this. But can they also tackle the blatantly illegal puppy kills that are paying off council vets to look the other way.
@Chutes Idiot: LOL
And what about shhh@&%€t on streets
@sakk sa: Well, if the cost goes towards dog poos being picked up, that’d be somewhat justified. However, a dog license is simply just a tax in reality. A tax that has nothing to do with tending to the living conditions with our longest relationship of any other animal. You don’t even have to do a test. Just pay The Man. There isn’t even any dog wardens.
@Philip Kennedy: Ye ain’t street.
I is what is which you aren’t.
@Pól Pot: that’s all fine and dandy however the councils do not provide enough dog faeces bins which sees owners dumping the bagged crap as they walk
@Dr Albert S Meinheimer: Not lack of bins. A lack of public responsibility
How is a license going to stop a dog from straying or getting out of their place, if a dog is caught or shot they are all mico chipped that’s how to find the owner.
@brendan C5: The problem being that too many dogs are not chipped
Dogs are useless. I tried to teach mine how to play football. Absolutely rubbish,I swear he must have two left feet.
@Larry Betts: A gem Larry!
@Brian Hunt: You disappoint me,Brian. I’m feelin’ kinda peckish. I was hoping you’d proffer your usual offer of ‘a roll’
@Larry Betts: Sell him to man u, Larry they’d deffo be interested albeit ye will have to wait till the summer..
My dog used to worry the sheep next field to us. He’d go to the fence and keep repeating “mint sauce, mint sauce”
@Padraig O’Brien: “Ewe talkin’ to me?” he would snarl at them if answered back.
Can we focus on the cruel puppy farms
Action now
You do realize when buying a dog license in the Post office, that you are handed it there and then?
So register a dog, with a false address and no one will ever know, you have a license but you cannot be contacted.
Genius!!
The number of dog owners who don’t chip their dogs or register as new owners has to be huge judging by the number of lost animals checked locally to me.
Fines are great but the funds have never been there to provide anything like enough wardens.
have your say