Eadestown Farmer Turns To Drones After Sixth Dog Attack In Two Years

Thursday, 27 March 2025 11:51

By Martin Osborne

With 350 sheep still due to lamb, Shaw simply does not have time to check each field manually. Instead, he flies a drone over his land almost every hour to keep watch for roaming dogs.

Sheep farmer David Shaw from Eadestown has resorted to using drones to monitor his flock after suffering yet another devastating dog attack - the sixth in two years.

Over the weekend, Shaw was forced to put down five two-month-old lambs due to severe bite injuries, while another five remain wounded and at risk of infection.

With lambing season in full swing, he described the timing as “the worst possible,” adding that the repeated attacks have left him constantly on edge.

With 350 sheep still due to lamb, Shaw simply does not have time to check each field manually. Instead, he flies a drone over his land almost every hour to keep watch for roaming dogs.

The issue extends beyond his own farm.

Shaw noted that this is the third dog attack within a two-mile radius in the past fortnight, calling for stricter enforcement of microchipping laws.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) recently relaunched its annual ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign, highlighting the growing problem of dog attacks on livestock.

This year, the IFA is demanding a national database linking dog licenses and microchips to owners, full enforcement of existing regulations, and harsher penalties for owners whose dogs are caught harassing livestock.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Journalist with the Irish Farmers Journal, Noel Bardon, said it's difficult for Gardai to act in these situations.