‘No Dogs Allowed’: Longford IFA warns that ‘irresponsible’ dog ownership can have devastating consequences

Dog owners have to take responsibility for the actions of their pets in order to reduce attacks on livestock, according to the Longford IFA Sheep Chairperson Joe Esler.

He was speaking at the launch of the organisation's annual ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign, which was rolled out for the first time in 2021.

The IFA has frequently appealed to the Government and local authorities to address the issue of dog attacks on livestock.

Mr Esler stated IFA farmers are not anti-dog but what they condemn is ‘irresponsible' dog ownership.

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“There was always plenty of legislation but enforcement is the problem and there is a lack of resources to gather up and deal with these animals, the dogs,” he said.

“The local dog pound does not take in strays now, they rehome them if they can and in rehoming them I'm sorry but that might mean returning them to an irresponsible owner with a mediocre fine.”

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Mr Esler said a farmer can lawfully take a certain action if he finds a dog worrying his livestock.

“The dog does not have to be hanging out of them drawing blood but if he is chasing them around and worrying them (that is enough),” he added.

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Mr Esler said there are numerous farmers who get up every two hours during the night for four or five weeks of the year and are ‘worn down to a thread' by attacks that devastate and destroy their spring's work”.

Mr Esler said dogs who target livestock can lead to a plethora of problems.

“The animals' stress affects every single thing in the world and when animals are stressed it can have repercussions for the rest of the year and sometimes the rest of their lives,” he said.

“They don't breath, they don't care for their young, they don't feed properly, they always have one eye looking around wondering when is the next attack coming.”

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Mr Esler said some people do not report strange or stray dogs they see running through fields.

“There are some dog owners who get up in the morning and let their dogs out and head off to work and leave them out and they return and they are not there and they say, ‘Ah they'll be back sometime' and they don't appear back at all that night,” he added.

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Mr Esler said at that stage there is a huge problem and very often “that person will probably say nothing” and keep their mouths shut.

The ‘No Dogs Allowed campaign is being run by the IFA in conjunction with Longford dog wardens Michael Murphy and Declan Murtagh and Gardaí with local Garda Anthony Scanlon involved.

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Mr Esler, a retired garda, said ewes are particularly vulnerable to attacks and inclement weather.

“It's in the middle of lambing season now which will go on until the middle of April and the ewes and the baby lambs are out and it's trying to get them to get the first few weeks under their belts.”