Tag Archives: sheep

By Gordon Deegan A Lahinch surfer has saved an ‘exhausted’ sheep from drowning after the sheep had fallen off a cliff edge at the Clare seaside resort. Johnny Casey was out surfing waves at Lahinch at the southern end of the beach when he spotted the ‘marooned’ sheep in a little cave on a ledge at the cliffs. Mr Casey said today that with the tide coming in, there was a real fear that the sheep would drown and he went about rescuing the female sheep. Recalling the recent rescue effort for the ewe, Mr Casey – who celebrates his 30th birthday this weekend – stated that he saw the sheep was “standing there motionless on the ledge. She ended up there after falling down the cliff”. He stated: “I paddled in when I saw the sheep. I got one more wave and off I went. I went over to her and she was quite shaken.” Mr Casey then went to the family home …

The IFA has warned dog owners to keep them under control at all times, as marauding dogs can inflict horrendous damage on a sheep flock. IFA National Sheep chairman John Lynskey said the country’s 34,000 sheep farmers are currently preparing to lamb down 2.4 million ewes, adding that pregnant ewes on the point of lambing are particularly vulnerable to dog attacks. Mr Lynskey said recent dog attacks have been reported to IFA from flock owners in counties Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Galway. He pointed out that dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their pets are under control at all times and can be held responsible for losses involved in dog attacks, with serious financial and legal consequences. Mr Lynskey said statistics collated by IFA indicate that the problem of dog attacks on sheep may be in the order of 300 to 400 attacks per annum, with 3,000 to 4,000 sheep injured and killed. He said data on dog attacks …

With the lambing season well under way, Environment Minister Alan Kelly and Comhairle Na Tuaithe are highlighting the responsibility of dog owners and the vulnerability of sheep to dog attacks. ”Dog owners must be mindful that with ownership comes responsibility,” said Minister Kelly. ”Owning a dog means that you have to feed, house and care for your pet. However you must also remember that you have to keep them under control at all times. Never let your dog out unsupervised, especially at night,” he added. ”Any dog, large or small, may become involved in attacking sheep – make sure he doesn’t get the chance,” Minister Kelly said. One of the key principles of the Leave No Trace programme states, “When taking part in any recreation activities in the countryside, care should always be taken to avoid disturbing farm animals and wildlife.” Up to 2.5m lambs are born across the country at this time of year. Sheep flocks are very vulnerable …

The ISPCA has warned dog owners to act responsibly and keep them under control near sheep and other livestock. Walking your dog outdoors is a great way to get healthy and it is an enjoyable form of exercise for both owner and dog, however, we do not want to see any lambs or ewes distressed, injured or killed by dogs this spring. Nor do we want to see any dogs destroyed as a result. “Losses to sheep farmers can be significant and distressing. We would like to remind all dog owners to keep their dogs under control around sheep and other livestock, particularly at this time of year when lambs are being born and are extremely vulnerable,” said Dr Andrew Kelly, CEO for the ISPCA. Under the Control of Dogs Act, dog owners can be held liable for financial damage caused to farmers and these costs can be significant. Even the most docile of dogs can join a pack in …

AS we head into the peak lambing season, the Department of the Environment and the ISPCA have issued strong joint warning to dog owners to act in a responsible manner. Under the Control of Dogs Act, dog owners can be held liable for financial damage caused to farmers and costs can run to several thousand euro. “Owners of dogs must be vigilant at all times, but especially now as we are in the lambing season”, stated Minister Phil Hogan. “Whether you live in or near the countryside, or visit it for recreational purposes, I ask that you are on guard the whole time”. He also reminded dog owners to be careful if they leave their dog out in the back garden at the end of the day for a ‘quick run and to do their business’ – this can result in even docile dogs joining with other dogs and partaking in attacks on sheep. The ISPCA has asked dog owners to …