Dangerous Dogs Owners

850 dog attacks *reported* to Gardai in 2023. Yet, counties Clare, Cavan, Longford and Westmeath issued zero fines for dog control while Leitrim, Tipperary and Limerick issued one each (probably a token effort so they can spin that they are issuing fines)

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/galway-county-council-issued-40-dog-control-fines-last-year/

Regardless of whether this is due to Councils being under resourced or inept, this is a pathetic level of enforcement given the number of dogs and irresponsible dog owners in the country. I bet we have no reliable stats on what breeds of dog are involved in attacks either.

They definitely should be banned. The rates of unprovoked attacks (mostly UK) in comparison to their small population is massive. They are a risk to society when in public.

From reports I've seen there is one dog warden for every 4000 dogs, that just isn't enough to enforce the laws around dogs. I do think being under resourced has a lot to do with it but wicklow gave out over 70 fines which was probably the council wanting to be seen to be doing something about the problem with what happen to that poor young lad. There needs some serious investment in this to try at least get a hold of the problem, I think dog wardens should be out walking around like traffic wardens to catch people with dogs off leads, not cleaning up after them etc. The route I take for walking has a lot of people walking dogs, I definitely see at least 15 people a week not cleaning up after their dogs. The annoying part is there 4 spots a long the walk way that has bags you can take, so no excuse for it

Jail sentence for the owners of the XL bully that destroyed a young child's face in Wexford this was an appalling attack and of course there was an outcry especially by politicians

They decided to do a review of dangerous dogs and what did they do increased the fines

Crazy when was the last fine imposed, this will make no difference there have been further attacks since that awful Wexford attack and they will continue as long as people are allowed to flagrantly flout the dangerous dogs act

I walk regularly and every day I see restricted breeds out in public no lead or muzzle indeed I have seen Garda walking past them and not as much as blinking an eye

Typical Ireland great Laws no enforcement

Xl500

Walk down the road with a gun, and Gardaí will be all over you. Walk down the road with dangerous dog with no muzzle or lead, Gardaí will walk past you.

Both are illegal acts. But one gets ignored. A gun you can control. A dangerous dog breed of 7+stone you cannot.

Another needless death. How many will it take before the State makes possession of these dogs illegal? I don’t see another solution. The nicely, nicely approach has made the situation much worse than it ever was.

A person’s right to own a dog like this is not greater than other’s right to life or right to walk down the street without being intimidated by someone waking one.
https://www.thejournal.ie/woman-20s-dies-after-dog-attack-in-limerick-6398705-Jun2024/

It's time Ireland took the lead in this problem, and become the 1st country (I think) to totally ban a load of breeds from this island.

There is a huge number of these potentially killer dogs in Ireland, time to take a tough stand and ensure the breeding of them stops now so they are phased out.

In some ways it's even worse because other people are then terrified of dogs for the wrong reasons. My mother is convinced that any dog can suddenly go mad no matter what, because she doesn't realise that you can learn to recognise dog behaviour and that good owners should be able to know if their dog can't be trusted and in what circumstances. And that's independently of training the dogs.

That's because she reads in the papers that all these owners are so shocked when their dogs suddenly attacks someone.

For low level criminals these dogs are a low risk way to showing their power, intimidating communities and their marks/customers and committing violence. What’s the worst that can happen the criminal? The dog gets taken off them, they get another. No conviction, no time inside. Staying out and earning is all these people care about. They don’t or are not able to care about the impact their actions have.

They ‘give’ these dogs to young lads to groom them into the trade and then later make them pay a fortune for the dog to have them on the hook for years.

I’m not one for the ‘big stick’ approach to anything but a hard line needs to be taken on this as people are dying and being maimed for life.

For the people who genuinely keep staffies etc as pets, I’m afraid it’s TS. There’s a thousand other dog breeds to choose from.

there is no enforcement or desire to enforce controls.

its the same as the RSA coming out and saying double the penalty points for road offences.

their own data says that people who speed say the risk of being caught is the biggest deterrent not higher fines or points , but that involves resourcing it , much easier to just make an admin change.

same thing with dog fines, there are no wardens enforcing regulations, they are snowed under with cruelty cases not to mention puppy farms running unregulated.

this is a policy decision by our govt .

then they will bring in another paper change banning the breed and doing nothing to change anything but the lives of compliant people

Plenty of people driving around with no insurance and/or no tax for years. Disqualified drivers too.

As above, nothing but govt throwing pieces of paper at the problem.

But that’s not what she thinks. She thinks it can happen for no reason and with no warning signs. And with any dog.

Whereas there is such a thing as a dog suddenly “losing” it and attacking for no reason and with no previous signs - but it’s a form of epilepsy. It’s not what normal dogs do.

But when a previously normal dog attacks, there’s a reason. And yes, the signs can be discreet and it takes training (of the owner) to identify them. But that’s not the same thing.

And nor does that mean that I think a dog can ever be left alone with a small child for instance. For the same reason I’ve given: if a child accidentally scares or even just winds the dog up, the child doesn’t know to stop. It’s the owner’s responsibility to be there so that doesn’t happen.