Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if plans are in place to address the recent increase of dog attacks on sheep. [6576/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Dog attacks cause serious injury or death to sheep and can cause serious distress and financial loss for farm families. It is of grave concern to the farming community and that attacks on sheep are happening far too often in the rural countryside.

Last month, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD and I launched a new awareness campaign ahead of lambing season, highlighting the responsibilities of dog owners and the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks. Sheep worrying causes immense and unnecessary stress for farmers, and serious animal welfare issues for sheep and new-born lambs.

Some 2.5 million lambs will be born on farms all over Ireland this springtime. Sheep flocks are very vulnerable to dog attacks at this critical time, and especially during the night

Uncontrolled pets can decimate a flock within minutes, with reports suggesting that up to 4,000 sheep are killed or seriously injured in dog attacks every year.

Our farmers are the backbone of our community and any incident that puts their livestock at risk can have a detrimental impact on the animals and the farmer in question.

By law, every dog must be microchipped and the possession, movement, sale or supply of an unchipped dog is an offence. Additionally owners of dogs must also have a licence for their animals. I am committed to working with Minister Humphreys to ensure sheep-worrying by dogs becomes a thing of the past, and our officials are working together to improve enforcement of the laws applicable to dogs.

On a general welfare point, I would advise anyone concerned about incidents of animal neglect or cruelty that they can contact my Department's animal welfare helpline by phone or the dedicated animal welfare email address.

Call Save - 0761 064408, phone - 01 607 2379. Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.