The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has called for immediate and more meaningful action from Government following a devastating dog attack on sheep on the Dublin-Wicklow border in the last week.
Over 15 sheep were killed in the attack, with some being put down by a local vet due to the severity of their injuries.
The dog was caught and the owner has been identified and authorities are dealing with the incident.
IFA national sheep chair Adrian Gallagher has said dog owners should be aware that they are liable for the damage and losses caused by their dogs when cattle and sheep are worried or killed.
"Dog attacks on livestock [have] reached unprecedented levels, causing immense distress and financial losses for the [affected] farmers," he said.
Gallagher has called on both ministers with responsibility in this area to ensure there is robust structures in place to deal with these dogs and their owners.
"The level of sanctions that are [being] applied do not reflect the savagery and trauma these uncontrolled dogs are causing.
"Recognising the importance of the national media campaign informing owners of their responsibilities, the absence of a centralised database to identify ownership and those responsible for the dogs and the lack of enforcement of licensing and microchipping are all contributing to this persistent and escalating problem," Gallagher said.
Local authorities must immediately prioritise the enforcement of existing regulations to curb these attacks, he stressed.
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