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DOG OWNERS HAVE been asked to keep their dogs on a leash after a number of attacks on sheep.
The Louth Irish Farmers’ Association say that a number of dog attacks have occurred on the Cooley Peninsula recently. They have issued a warning to all dog owners of their responsibility to keep their pets under control at all times.
Chairman of the Louth branch of the IFA Gerard Melia said:
“Owners can be held responsible for any losses involved in dog attacks, with serious financial and legal consequences. Farmers have a right to protect their sheep flock and can shoot a dog worrying, or about to worry their flock.”
IFA National Sheep Chairman John Lynskey said dogs can inflict “horrendous” damage on a sheep flock. Statistics collated by IFA say there may be from 300 to 400 attacks each year, with 3,000 to 4,000 sheep injured and killed. Data on dog attacks gathered by the IFA shows an average of 11 sheep killed or injured per attack.
“Unfortunately, I am taking calls on a frequent basis from sheep farmers around the country who have suffered attacks. There are far too many dog owners not taking the responsibility that goes with owning a pet. Dog owners have an obligation to have their dog under control at all times.”
The IFA has released a protocol for farmers to follow, which includes guidelines for when a farmer can shoot a dog.
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I live in yhe countryside and its farm dogs tgat do tge roaming how many farmers have a license and dog run
@Aidan Clarke: very true as a child I was bit by a farmers dog. It terrorised us on the way to and from school for months. Even after it bit me and my parents submitted a complaint to the guards the dog was still let roam. My parents complained several times, for a couple of weeks they kept the dog in during going to and coming back from school, then let it out AGAIN!
High temperatures forecast for this weekend. Don’t leave your dog locked in a car even with the window open a little. It’s equivalent to an oven.
Amazing, we are all horrified at such attacks yet turn a blind eye to the the Barbaric end the sheep suffer in slaughterhouses.
@Dave Hogan: not to mention the frying pan,,yum,yum,tasty lamb
@Dave Hogan: Only some lambs die. Sheep are mainly reared for wool.
@Dave Hogan:
Change the record Dave
@P.J. Nolan: not a chance I will use every opportunity I get speak for them that can’t.
@Dave Hogan: comparing people who eat meat to “nazis’s” is stupid on multiple levels. Here’s a suggestion: you do you.
@Andy K:
Sorry Andy biut your wrong Wool is an almost worthless by product worth no more than €2-€3 to a farmer
@Dave Hogan:
That is your choice, but saying the same thing over and over again on any.even remotely connected article will promote ridicule, not debate.
@Dave Hogan: the sheep should have elected a better spokesperson. You are bleating on and trying to ram your point home.
@Dave Hogan: meowwwww,some one didn’t get any last night
@P.J. Nolan: thanks for the tip but I will take my chances if it’s okay with you.
@Dave Hogan:
It’s not about animal welfare, it’s about the €€€ baby…
@Dave Hogan: sheep can’t talk? flabbergasted,,
Animal welfare is about looking after the animal while it’s alive.
What Dave is on about is animal rights
Telling farmers they can shoot a dog who’s ‘about to worry’ their sheep is just giving them carte blanche to get trigger happy and pretty much shoot a dog whenever they feel like it.
@Avina Laaf: To. many Dogs owned by mama pampering townie owners
@Avina Laaf: God,youd think it was dodge city
@Randal McNally: desperate housewives
@Avina Laaf: If it’s on their land, and they consider it a threat to their flock. Keep your dog’s off their land and away from their flock and there will be no issues.
@Geraoid O’Helidhe:
I’m not trying to paint all farmers like that, but it’s undeniable that there are trigger happy farmers out there too – yesterday’s news being a good example.
Thats translates as if they on a lead, you can still shoot them if you like, so get away from here.
@Barney r: Why would you take on a dog on a walk, with a lead, through a field of sheep??
You have coillte forests and large amount of wild common land between where sheep graze and wander. Not as clear cut as a fenced off field for sheep. Yesterday a 70 year old farmer shot another farmers dog on the back of a tractor over land greed.
@Avina Laaf: as is the farmers right. Moral of this story, don’t allow your dog to roam free in the countryside- simple message
@Barney r: I suggest you read that article about the incident yesterday again, he shot the man with a shotgun, the dog was most likely hit by the same shot.
@Permo Dermo: is there somewhere where dogs can roam free?
@Dave O Keeffe:
Your back garden, and that’s about it.
@P.J. Nolan: just my garden? Should I charge an entry fee?
@Dave O Keeffe:
€10 per hour
@Permo Dermo:
You think it’s the farmer’s right to shoot a dog whenever he feels like it? Says it all really…
@P.J. Nolan: depending on the size of the bow wow
It must be all those city dogs. Caught my fella the other night packing his lunch in tinfoil and trying to sneak out the back door to his buddies. I instinctively knew he was going on a hike out the countryside to look for some sheep
@Tom Collins: very good,his bud pass though , gave the game away
@billy Dorney: bus pass
Thats some baaaad news
The dogs that do this are not the ones that someone is taking out for a walk.
But they seem to get all the blame…
Them Shitzu’s are well dangerous. Chew through anything.
@The Viking: they’d ate ye
Look at those vicious beasts in the photo! Seriously…(not a laughing matter can i add)
@Noel James Doherty: I have seen the damage that dogs can cause and it is no laughing matter never mind the financial damage they pull lambs apart they destroy flocks and they cause sheep to lose their lambs while pregnant it is horrible to come across sheep after a dog attack. Farmers will shoot them and rightly so. People need to remember the dog that they share their lives with no matter how friendly they think they are are animals and nothing more and they will revert to their natural instincts when in a pack situation.
@Lee Jones hey man i agree with you 100% hence my last sentence in brackets I’ve seen the damage done too & many near misses. I was making reference to the accompanying photo on the article, surely you agree it’s a weak effort no?
@Noel James Doherty: hey man? Watching too much tv
@billy Dorney ?
@Noel James Doherty: it is, apologies
@Noel James Doherty: the hey man,,,,.
I took the headline up wrong. I thought there was a savage sheep attacking dogs. That would have been more exciting. How about fitting sheep out with tasers so they can defend themselves? Has anyone thought of that?
Headline sounds like there is a savage sheep on the loose attacking dogs.
have your say