Harsh penalties sought for any owner of a dog which destroys farm animals

INDEPENDENT TD for Laois-Offaly, Carol Nolan, has called for immediate action to be taken to increase the enforcement of laws that control dangerous dogs or dogs that attack, maim or kill, farm animals.

Deputy Nolan was speaking after Moneygall sheep farmer John Healy revealed that fifty of his lambs were destroyed by dogs recently.

“What happened to John’s lambs was an act of pure savagery by vicious uncontrolled dogs,” said Deputy Nolan.

“There is simply no justification for the owners of those dogs to even think that they can get away with this type of reckless irresponsibility.

“I will be engaging with the relevant Ministers to ensure that we can get a grip on this issue once and for all and that the message goes out that such barbarity will no longer be tolerated through weak enforcement of our laws.

“These incidents cause untold stress and anxiety to farmers and their families who have to literally pick up the pieces after such violent attacks,” concluded Deputy Nolan.