Higher fines for dog worrying and putting more wardens on the ground are among the actions Government could take to clamp down on dog attacks, Minister for Rural Affairs Heather Humphreys has said.

Minister Humphreys stated that no options have been taken off the table in efforts to ramp up dog controls and prevent attacks on livestock.

The minister’s comments come as a report from an inter-departmental working group on the control of dogs is expected within the coming next week.

Policies in the area dog control must be “strong” given the “devastating” consequences for farmers whose stock have been attacked, Minister Humphreys told farmers attending the Fine Gael agriculture, food and rural development forum in Tuam on Thursday.

List of actions

A list of actions that will be taken by Government on the issue will be published by Minister Humphreys and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue after the report has been assessed.

“Myself and Minister McConalogue are to receive a report next week from our officials and indeed we have just met with the IFA [Irish Farmers' Association] this week,” she said.

“There are different options on the table. It is about increasing fines, increasing the number of wardens and restricting breeds.

“I am not ruling anything out and very shortly we will publish our set of actions.”

Minister McConalogue has previously said that the laws around dog control must be “as strict as possible” to keep farmers and livestock safe.

‘Devastating’

IFA sheep chair Kevin Comiskey told the meeting that the impact attacks and worrying have on farmers go beyond just economic loss, as there can be psychological damage inflicted.

Attacks are leaving farmers burdened with losses in their flocks and animal collection fees at a time when margins have been decimated, Comiskey said.

“We also see the savaging of our sheep on farms with dogs and that has an additional financial cost - the collection cost - and the mental affect that it has on farming families.”

See this week’s Irish Farmers Journal for more.