Two-thirds of fines against dog owners are being left unpaid

The non-payment of on-the-spot fines for incidents such as dog worrying is an ongoing issue with 66% of fines going unpaid in 2024.

The Control of Dogs Act makes provision for dog wardens to issue fixed charge penalty notices for a number of offences.

Owners whose dogs are found to be worrying livestock could receive an on-the-spot fine of €300 under new regulations in the Control of Dogs Act.

This fine increased from €100 to €300 in late 2023.

Just over 1,763 fines were handed out in 2024 and just 600 of them have been paid to date.

The Department of Agriculture has said that prosecution by local authorities for non-payment of these fines remains challenging for a number of reasons, with high legal costs being one of the main reasons.