IFA Launch ‘No Dogs Allowed’ Campaign In Wicklow

Launching IFA’s 2024 ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign, IFA President Francie Gorman said the Government and Local Authorities continue to ignore the deepening issue of dog attacks on livestock.

He said IFA first launched the campaign in 2021 and despite continuous appeals for action, both the Government and Local Authorities have failed to address the issue.

The group have called on the Minister to implement a number of measures including:

1. A single National Database for all dogs correlating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog, but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.

2. Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.

3. Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity on these powers.

4. Increased on the spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements.

5. Increased sanctions and on the spot fines for failing to have the dog under control.

6. Significant on the spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock.

7. Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the NVPS (National Veterinary Prescribing System) prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners.

8. Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the state.