Daly calls for greater enforcement over dog attacks on sheep

Kilbeggan-based Fianna Fáil Senator Paul Daly has called for intervention by the Department of Agriculture to address the growing number of dog attacks on sheep flocks across the country.

His comments follow a presentation he hosted in Leinster House last week with Monaghan father and daughter Eamonn and Niamh Monahan, who shared findings from their national survey on sheep attacks.

The Monahans farm in Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan, and have endured four dog attacks in just five years. In one attack last year they lost four pedigree in-lamb ewes, a pedigree ram and nine unborn lambs.

Motivated by their own experience, Eamonn and Niamh launched a national survey to highlight the scale of the problem and elevate the voices of farmers affected across the country.

Their research shows that 73% of farmers have experienced attacks on their flocks, with an average of 18 sheep killed per incident, while more than 77% received no compensation.

Senator Daly said the most alarming finding was that over 77% of those farmers received no compensation for their losses.

Speaking on the issue, Senator Daly said: “The little poodle that everybody thinks is harmless can create as much havoc in a field of sheep as a pitbull.

“Dog owners do not realise the consequences of not having their dog on a leash, or the heartache and pain this causes for hardworking farmers.

“The Department of Agriculture needs to intervene with a number of measures, while also ensuring there is proper enforcement of those already in place.

"It is not fair and it is not right that farmers can witness multiple attacks on their flocks and receive no compensation. Those responsible must be held to account.”

Speaking on the Fianna Fáil podcast ‘Fianna Fáil: In Our Own Words’, Niamh Monahan described the trauma of the attack on their flock.

“They were shredded. It was horrendous.

“We had to deal with the trauma of what we were seeing before us, calling the vets, neighbours coming over. We had sheep in the drain that had been chased, and others were chased across three fields from where we had left them the night before.

“There was so much to deal with.”

Her father Eamonn added: “It is very important that all dog owners are aware these attacks are happening. They are horrific. They have serious financial effects on farmers and very real mental health impacts too.”

Among the measures Eamonn and Niamh are seeking government support for are:

•The establishment of a national DNA database for all dogs

•Improved public education in schools and among dog owners on responsible ownership and the consequences of dog attacks and worrying

•Stricter fines for owners of dogs involved in attacks

•Greater supports for farmers affected by dog attacks