Minister urges dog owners to act responsibly in lambing season
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has urged dog owners to act responsibly and ensure their pets are under control during the lambing season.
The minister has today (Monday, February 23) launched a new awareness campaign aimed at dog owners.
Among the additional measures currently being considered by Minister Heydon are better enforcement of increasing fines, tracing stray dogs and more comprehensive microchipping.
Dog owners
Minister Heydon the issue of livestock worrying has been a "huge concern in the farming community for many years now".
"I’m determined to ensure this critical issue becomes embedded in the consciousness of dog owners, and ensure that dog owners understand their responsibility and the significant damage a dog can do to a flock if uncontrolled.
"You simply cannot bring your dog for a walk out in the country and just let it roam.
"This is an issue of huge importance, to the community as a whole and to all those responsible for animals, including the farming sector and pet owners," he said.
A high-level stakeholder group chaired by retired Deputy Garda Commissioner, John Twomey was established in 2024 to consider policy and legislative matters, including the Dog Control Act.
The minister said he is currently awaiting a report from the group which could include increasing fines, a measure he is in favour of.
"We need to tackle the amount of dogs that are not being microchipped and the latest figures from 2024 indicate 56% of stray dogs entering local authority pounds in 2024 were not microchipped, this needs to change.
"We urgently need to increase the microchipping rates for all dogs, and I am committed to ensuring that legislation for this evolves in light of new challenges and opportunities," he said.
Livestock worrying
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is responsible for policy and legislation on the control of dogs.
Minister Heydon noted that local authorities retain responsibility for all operational and enforcement.
"They have the power to appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against owners," he said.
DAFM provided €2 million in capital funding in 2025 through the Dog Control Support Initiative and will provide the same amount in 2026 to support this work through additional dog warden recruitment.
2024 saw a 4% increase in the number of livestock worrying incidents reported to local authorities, with the number of animals attacked, and number of animals maimed, killed, or put down as a result of attacks also increasing.
However, Minister Heydon said there is a concern that there may be "significant under-reporting of incidents in the sector".
"It is of vital importance that we implement and enforce appropriate legislation, resource initiatives that facilitate effective dog control, and generally continue to raise the bar in this important area.
"The challenge is wide-ranging and multi-dimensional in nature, and I look forward, along with all stakeholders, to meeting that challenge head on," he said.
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has welcomed the initiative to increase awareness of the dangers uncontrolled dogs pose to all livestock and especially sheep.
The campaign has been launched in partnership with the farm organisation.
"Concern around dog attacks on sheep is an ongoing issue for INHFA members that we have highlighted and campaigned on over the last number of years," Pheilim Molloy, said INHFA president, said.
"As we move into lambing season it is vital that all dog owners ensure their dogs are controlled both day and night and we hope this campaign will help instil this message," he added.
