The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has launched its 2025 No Dogs Allowed campaign in Newcastle, Co Wicklow.

Launching the campaign, which first began in 2021, the IFA set out eight measures that the Government and public need to implement to tackle the issues of dog attacks.

IFA president Francie Gorman said dog owners have to be confronted about their failure to take responsibility for the actions of their pets.

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“The devastation caused has to be brought home to those who think their dog would not be part of an attack on livestock,” he 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.”

Dog attacks

The IFA said that despite continuous appeals for action, neither the Government nor local authorities have done enough to address the issue.

Among the measures proposed by the working group of control of dogs were stricter regulations and increased enforcement on the ground to tackle the issue of irresponsible dog ownership.

IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said stronger regulations announced by then-Minister Heather Humphreys in late 2023 were a step in the right direction, but they don’t go far enough to protect livestock from dog attacks.

“The critical issue in the first instance is to have all dogs in the country microchipped, registered to the owner and licensed in order to establish a national database for all dogs and the person responsible for the dog,” he said.

IFA president Francie Gorman and Selena McKenzie, incoming chair of Wicklow IFA. \ Finbarr O'Rourke

“Implementing stronger legislation and sanctions reflective of the damage and trauma these dogs cause on farms has been key to our campaign and would be a significant step in delivering for farmers.”

Wicklow IFA chair Tom Byrne said it’s a critical time of the year as lambing commences and has warned dog owners that dogs are not allowed on or near farmland.

“It is also important to remind dog owners that they are fully liable for any damages caused to farmers and their livestock and dogs found on our lands can be shot.”

Measures

The IFA campaign is calling for the following measures to be implemented:

  • A single national database for all dogs correlating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog, but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.
  • Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.
  • Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and gardaí and clarity on these powers.
  • Increased on-the-spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements.
  • Increased sanctions and on-the-spot fines for failing to have the dog under control.
  • Significant on-the-spot fines for dogs (owners) found worrying livestock.
  • Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the national veterinary prescribing system prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners.
  • Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the State.

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