Ongoing terror for sheep farmers as dog attacks continue unchecked

SHEEP farmers in the Fyfin and wider Castlederg area say they are living in fear as a wave of savage dog attacks on livestock continues with no end in sight, despite repeated appeals to statutory authorities.

Local DUP councillor Keith Kerrigan has been at the forefront of efforts to force action, warning that farmers have been pushed to breaking point by what he described as an ongoing failure by agencies to take responsibility.

“We have been highlighting this for over a year now,” Cllr Kerrigan said. “There is huge frustration that none of the statutory agencies seem willing or able to tackle the problem. It’s being passed from one body to another while farmers are left to deal with the consequences.”

He is hoping a long-awaited multi-agency meeting will take place this week involving affected farmers, council dog wardens, the PSNI, Derry City and Strabane District Council officers and legal team, and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

According to Cllr Kerrigan, the root of the problem lies in weak legislation and a lack of enforcement powers.

“It’s widely known that these dogs are originating from the same location, but dog wardens don’t appear to have the power to lift them,” he said. “One dog was shot and killed last October and its microchip was traced to one individual, but that case is still sitting with the council’s legal team and has to go through dog wardens in Belfast. It’s not in court yet, and until there’s a ruling nothing is being done. That is causing enormous frustration.”

He said the financial impact on the farming community has been devastating.

“These dog attacks have cost local farmers tens of thousands of pounds, and that’s no exaggeration,” he said. “Many farmers traditionally let their land for winter grazing, but sheep aren’t being put on it anymore because of the risk. One farmer had moved sheep down for grazing last Saturday, by Sunday they were attacked and lifted again after just one night. The man letting that land has lost his income, and the stock owner now has to find alternative grazing or buy in extra meal and fodder. Everyone is out money.”

The damage, he explained, goes far beyond the immediate injuries and deaths.

“When a flock is attacked it does no good at all,” he said. “Ewes may abort, fail to hold lambs, or have very poor lambing results with few doubles. That impact can last 18 months to two years. How do you put a financial figure on that kind of long-term damage?”

Scale

The scale of the problem is stark. Cllr Kerrigan estimates there have been between 40 and 50 attacks over the past year alone, involving a reported pack of seven or eight dogs - including a Husky-type dog and several terrier-type dogs. While not every incident resulted in fatalities, sheep have been chased, bitten, had ears torn off and wool ripped from their bodies.

“There are now very few sheep left in the wider Fyfin area,” he said. “The winter grazing fields are empty. It has got that bad. Everyone is on edge, you can feel the tension in the air.”

He said the same farmers were having the same sheep attacked by the same dogs this Christmas as last Christmas.

‘Not good enough’

“That’s not good enough,” he said. “One farmer in the area who dealt in pedigree stock has sold up completely. He had invested years of money, time and effort to reach pedigree status and was tortured so much by these dogs that he just couldn’t go on.”

The toll on farmers’ mental health has been severe. Cllr Kerrigan said he has been contacted by at least 15 farmers directly and fears many more are suffering in silence.

“I’ve had farmers in tears over this,” he said. “They stay awake at night, and if they hear anything they’re out with lamps in the middle of the night. I know farmers who have sat for hours in bitterly cold weather with legally held shotguns to protect their sheep. One man contacted me on New Year’s Day saying he didn’t want to go back to work because his sheep were close to lambing and his employer had warned him he was taking too much time off.”

Early lambing is already under way, with the main season approaching in March and April. Farmers fear heavily pregnant ewes and newborn lambs are especially vulnerable.

“I know farmers who couldn’t leave shed doors open at lambing time for fear dogs would get in and attack freshly born lambs,” Cllr Kerrigan said.

He warned that frustration has been building for more than 18 months and there is a real risk of matters escalating if action is not taken.

“I’ve told the authorities that if nothing moves, some people might be tempted to take matters into their own hands,” he said. “I’m not saying anything against any man, but you can only be pushed so far when you feel completely let down.”

The dogs are believed to be roaming a wide area, from Victoria Bridge to Urbalreagh Road, Brocklis Road and Tievenny Road, stretching towards Ardstraw, Tullywhisker and Castlederg - a territory of up to four square miles.

Farmer Gary Lecky, who lives between Drumquin and Castlederg, said the latest attack on his flock has left him at his wits’ end.

“This situation is unreal,” he said. “We have ground taken for winter grazing at Fyfin on the Victoria Bridge-Castlederg Road, but the torture is unreal. We’ve been on to dog wardens, the police, animal welfare, no one seems able to do anything. One sheep died on Monday morning, and I know the rest will be a disaster. An ear was pulled clean off one sheep. I’m really annoyed and frustrated. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

It is understood the issue will be raised at the Stormont Agriculture Committee this week, with approaches also made to the Department of Justice. DUP MLA Tom Buchanan has been pushing the issue at Stormont and remains in regular contact with farmers.

A PSNI spokesperson confirmed that police received a report on Monday, January 12, of four sheep badly injured in a dog attack in the Victoria Bridge area on Sunday morning at around 8.10am. However, police said they have no statutory powers under the Dogs (NI) Order relating to livestock worrying, with responsibility resting with council dog wardens.

Derry City and Strabane District Council said its Dog Control team is aware of the issue and investigations are ongoing.

“Council has undertaken a number of actions including gathering evidence and witness statements, ensuring all dogs in the local area have been microchipped and licensed, and installing cameras and humane live-catch traps at local farms,” a spokesperson said. “Council is committed to taking appropriate enforcement action based on the evidence available.”

Farmers and residents are urged to report sightings of dogs running loose to the council’s Dog Control Service on 028 7125 3253 or via email at dogcontrol@

derrystrabane.com, with an out-of-hours service also available.

For now, farmers say they remain trapped in a cycle of fear, financial loss and sleepless nights - waiting for decisive action before more damage is done.