A total of 901 animals were attacked by dogs in the State last year, the Local Authority Control of Dogs Statistics Report for 2022 shows.

Some 268 livestock worrying incidents were recorded by the country’s local authorities in 2022, an increase of 24% of the 217 reported in 2021.

The number of sheep attacked in these incidents came to 755, while 77 cattle were attacked by dogs last year.

A further 68 poultry were attacked.

Of the numbers attacked, 378 animals were either maimed, killed or put down as a result of these incidents in 2022 and of the dead stock, 336 were sheep, 11 were cattle, 63 were poultry and 12 were other animals.

Laois was hardest hit in 2022, with farmers in the county losing 79 of the 446 sheep attacked by dogs last year and a further 45 cattle were attacked in the county.

Ninety sheep were attacked in south Dublin, with 12 of these put down.