Warning comes following a rise in the number of dog attacks.
Cavan councillors have reminded dog owners over their responsibility to control their pets with the approach of lambing season and amid a spate of reported sheep attacks in the region.
Fine Gael’s Peter McVitty said some dog owners were “very careless” in the manner in which they allow their pets roam free.
“Anyone who has ever seen a dog attack sheep, it’s not a pretty sight.”
He said that often, sheep that have suffered an attack but survived, are “never the same” after.
Cllr McVitty stated that his warning comes following a rise in the number of dog attacks.
His comments at the January monthly meeting of Cavan County Council came the same day as Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, and Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, met to discuss how their departments can address shared concerns regarding dog control and ownership.
Arising from the meeting the two ministers have agreed to establish a working group that will examine issues such as fines under the Control of Dogs Act, enforcement at local authority level, the provision of dog wardens, microchipping, promoting responsible dog ownership and licences.
Minister McConalogue and Minister Humphreys also confirmed they will consult and engage with relevant stakeholders to update them regularly on the progress of the group.
Grotesque
Chairman John Paul Feeley supported Cllr McVitty in his comments.
He recalled, a young person, witnessing a dog attack and described the outcome as “grotesque”.
The Fianna Fáil representative added there were unaddressed issues regarding so-called “dangerous breeds” of dogs being kept by households, referencing an incident where a Tipperary farm family lost over 80 of their flock due to a dog attack in Tipperary.
“We’ve seen before Christmas there is not enough enforcement of dangerous breeds.”
TP O’Reilly agreed. He said it was important that the owners of dogs are held “accountable”.
