Latest news with #AnimalHealthandWelfareAct
Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Daily Record
Man in court charged with attempted murder after 'dog killed and person knocked down'
The dog has died after being struck by a car while being walked. The pooch passed away following an incident in Greenock last week. A man has appeared in court after a man was left injured in hospital and a dog died after allegedly being hit by a car in Greenock. The dog has died after being struck by a car while being walked. The pooch passed away following an incident in Greenock last week. The dog's owner was also struck by the vehicle in question - in the town's Belville Street - and was rushed to hospital as a result of the incident. A police probe was launched and, during the investigation, officers detained a 27-year-old man. Reece Stewart appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Tuesday. He was charged with attempted murder, causing assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement. Stewart also faced charges in court under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, the Road Traffic Act, and the Misuse of Drugs Act. He made no plea and was released on bail following the hearing. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
STV News
22-07-2025
- STV News
Man charged with attempted murder after 'person knocked down and dog killed'
A man has appeared in court after a dog died and a man was left in hospital after being hit by a car in Greenock. Emergency services were called to Belville Street after the man, who was walking a dog, was hit around 8.40pm on Friday. The 28-year-old was taken to hospital and later released. The dog died at the scene. Reece Stewart appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Tuesday, charged with attempted murder, causing assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement. The 27-year-old from Port Glasgow also faced charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, the Road Traffic Act, and the Misuse of Drugs Act. He made no plea and was released on bail. Detective inspector Nicky Beattie said: 'I would like to thank the local community for their cooperation and support while we carried out our enquiries.' STV News is now on WhatsApp Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Dog ownership rules slammed as IFA demands national database to identify dogs who attack sheep
There are an estimated 800,000 dogs in the State, but just over 200,000 of them are registered, the Irish Farmers Association told the Joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture. Based on the latest figures published by the Department of Agriculture, it claimed in a detailed submission there could be 600,000 dogs unaccounted for and unregistered. 'The most startling aspect of these figures is that nobody really knows how many dogs are actually in the country. This is an issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency,' it said. IFA sheep committee chairman Adrian Gallagher told the committee that in 2023, only 1,858 on-the-spot fines were issued for breaches of the regulations, with a mere 631 (or 33%) actually paid. Reported livestock-worrying incidents rose to 276, a 3% increase on 2022, though many more go unreported. Reports of aggressive dog behaviour surged to 1,383, resulting in 442 injuries, yet only 311 cases were prosecuted, and 149 resulted in convictions. Stressing enforcement remains severely limited, with only 80 wardens on the ground countrywide, he said people who fail to keep their pets under control should be disqualified from dog ownership. Mr Gallagher said the escalating problem of dog attacks on livestock would not be solved unless there is a determined and focused approach from the authorities. Given the devastation caused by an increasing number of dog attacks on sheep, zero tolerance must be the policy. "The Animal Health and Welfare Act sanctions should be extended to irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets to cause this devastation on farms,' he said. Mr Gallagher said the decision to have the Department of Agriculture as the single enforcement authority was a move in the right direction, but it should have happened long before now. The critical issue was the absence of a proper database, he said, confirming the IFA would continue with its 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign until there were meaningful improvements to the enforcement process. Mr Gallagher, who was joined by IFA senior policy executive Tomás Bourke and policy executive James Walsh, said sheep farmers were affected by the irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners more than any other sector. Lack of enforcement of obligations on dog owners and low levels of sanctions in this area were allowing this behaviour to continue, with sheep farmers having their flocks savaged by dogs on an almost daily basis at this point. It is not acceptable to farmers, who provide full traceability for the seven million cattle and almost three million breeding sheep under our care from birth, where every animal is individually tagged and traceable to the person responsible for them, that a similar system is not in place for dog owners. "Equally there are very severe sanctions for farmers when in breach of animal welfare obligations, but the sanctions imposed on dog owners do not reflect the seriousness of the damage these dog owners allow their pets to inflict on our animals. The IFA has consistently called for appropriate sanctions and the development of a single national database identifying dogs and their owners/person responsible for the dog. 'The critical issue in the first instance is to have all dogs in the country microchipped, registered to the owner and licensed in order to establish a national database for all dogs and their owners. 'This all comes back to enforcement, boots on the ground and appropriate sanctions for non-compliance,' he said.
RTÉ News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Farmers call for changes to protect livestock from dog attacks
Farming organisations have called for measures including DNA testing, disqualification from dog ownership, and a ban on non-working dogs on hills and farmland to help protect livestock from dog attacks. Addressing the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Vice President of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) John Joe Fitzgerald said the level of dog attacks on livestock has reached "crisis point". Mr Fitzgerald said INHFA members have reported "increasing levels of concern and complaints from farmers with regard to recreational walkers bringing their dogs onto farmlands [including our hills] and when asked to remove them, they become highly abusive and threatening, which in some instances has led to physical violence". He said a Government-funded national database should be established to collate "all information on dogs, including dog licence, microchipping and DNA samples from each dog". 'Roaming patrols' The INHFA also wants to see "roaming patrols" to monitor any loose dogs on hills or near farmland. Also addressing the committee, Sheep Chair of the Irish Farmers' Association Adrian Gallagher said dog owners who fail to keep their pets under control should be disqualified from dog ownership. He said the option exists for the courts to disbar ownership of protected animals if there is a failure to comply with welfare obligations in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. "Given the devastation caused by an increasing number of dog attacks on sheep in particular, zero tolerance has to be the policy. The Animal Health and Welfare Act sanctions should be extended to irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets cause this devastation on farms." Mr Gallagher said the decision to have the Department of Agriculture as the single enforcement authority "is a move in the right direction, but we should have seen this happen long before now". According to the IFA, in 2023 reporting of livestock-worrying incidents rose to 276, a 3% increase on 2022, adding that "many more go unreported". Enforcement 'severely limited' The organisation said enforcement remains "severely limited", with only 80 wardens on the ground throughout the country. Meanwhile, Sheep Chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) Willie Shaw told the Agriculture Committee "we've plenty of sheep farmers leaving the industry. We don't need to give them another reason to leave". Mr Shaw also pointed out that just "ten percent of dog attacks on livestock are kills" with sheep worrying a huge issue. He said "DNA testing wouldn't help with this". An example of such a case was mentioned by the INHFA, which said a couple of years ago "a hundred ewes and lambs in Kerry were driven off the edge of a cliff by a dog". Attacks 'detrimental' to livestock welfare Chairperson of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association's (ICMSA) Livestock Committee Michael O'Connell said the effect dog attacks and sheep worrying have on flocks and herds "is very detrimental to the health and welfare of these livestock". "We have seen firsthand from members of the immediate damages in terms of dead and injured sheep, but the long-term effects are equally devastating. "These include physical injuries such as severe bites and lacerations, which may result in death or future physical trauma as well as disabilities to mobility." The ICSMA recommended a 'Dog Control Awareness' programme be launched similar to that originally launched in 2024. Mr O'Connell said dogs "have the potential to cause death, serious injury, serious stress and anxiety to livestock, which the dog may deem to be playing. "Dogs are not responsible for their actions; it is their owners' responsibility to keep them under control. "If the awareness is aimed towards the owners, with emphasis on the damage dogs can do to sheep flocks or cattle herds, it may not be long before there is an improvement to what is a growing problem."
Sunday World
24-06-2025
- Sunday World
‘Filthy ball of wool' – Owner of dog left without food or water is spared jail
A vet gave evidence stating, "It was difficult to differentiate its head from its tail' A dog owner whose pet bichon frise was left like a filth-ridden "ball of wool", drinking drain water and sleeping among used medical needles has been spared jail. Thomas Joyce of Cloonmore Road, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was summonsed on charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act for the neglect of his dog named Partner. However, he failed to appear at his hearing in Dublin District Court, was convicted in absentia, fined €500 and prohibited from owning an animal for five years by Judge Anthony Halpin yesterday/today. A vet gave evidence stating, "It was difficult to differentiate its head from its tail.' Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) inspector Shane Lawlor told Judge Halpin that Partner lived in "deplorable" conditions and was heavily matted when Joyce was questioned on February 22 last year. The animal welfare inspector said he received a call that the dog was living in poor conditions and was in a poor physical state. He spoke to Joyce, who showed him the male dog whose coat was matted so heavily it was hurting. "It was very disorientating; he could not see properly at all, was walking in circles, walking into the wall and was quite aggressive to handle." The dog also had an open wound on its back side, and "he had no resting area at all." Photo evidence was handed into court. They revealed Partner was left living in a shed full of rubbish and dozens of used medical needles by diabetic Joyce. His only drink was dirty drain water, and there was no food either; his skin was inflamed. Partner, who was not microchipped, was seized and has since been treated and re-homed. Photo: DSPCA The court heard Joyce agreed the conditions were unacceptable. Asked by the inspector why he did not bring the dog for care, he said he was embarrassed and owned up that he could not give the necessary care to his pet. DSPCA veterinary director Elise O'Byrne White confirmed the poor condition of the animal's faecal and urine-stained coat. The dog's back and belly skin were inflamed, and it had external parasites. She believed Partner was in a state of discomfort due to the severe matting. "It was difficult to differentiate its head from its tail' Commenting on the photo evidence, Judge Halpin described the dog as a poor animal and "like a big ball of wool, you can't see a head or legs or anything". The offences could have resulted in a €5,000 fine and six months imprisonment. Finalising the case, he noted that the man told the inspector he was ashamed and let his dog be taken. Setting the fine at €500, to be paid within six months, he explained he had considered the conditions the accused was living in and inferred he was not of huge means. Photo: DSPCA News in 90 Seconds - June 24th
