Kerry councillor meets stiff resistance over dog DNA database

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

A Kerry councillor has met stiff resistance after calling for a dog DNA database to be introduced in the county.

Councillor Aoife Kennelly argued it could help hold accountable those responsible for “devastating attacks” on livestock and tackle dog fouling.

At a recent council meeting, Cllr Kennelly asked Kerry County Council to examine the feasibility of introducing a dog DNA database.

Leitrim County Council previously ran a pilot in 2021 in an effort to track pet owners who do not clean up after their animals, with similar ideas being raised at other councils since.

“Dog fouling is one of the most consistent issues in every municipal district and around the country,” said Cllr Kennelly.

“You’d need to physically catch the dog in the act,” she said, “the legislation is not fit for purpose.”

Similar to other littering offences, a dog-fouling fine can only be issued when the dog’s owner was witnessed as the fouling happened and the owner is identified by the witness who testifies that the owner left without picking up the dog’s waste.

Cllr Kennelly also highlighted the database could help with dog attacks, particularly on livestock, where “devastating attacks” have occurred previously.

The department for agriculture reported 12 sheep were ‘maimed, killed or put down’ over the course of 2024 in Kerry due to dog attacks, but the previous two years no such incidents were recorded.

At meeting at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLR) in January heard Lietrim’s pilot scheme was successful in proving the concept but stressed a national effort was required to really tackle the issue.

Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae slammed the concept “crazy”, emphasising the impracticalities of rolling out such as scheme.

He queried what would happen to the over 13,000 dogs already on the council’s licencing – “are we going to line all those dogs up and test them,” he asked.

“Are we going to have CSI on the scene testing them everywhere…we are talking about using councillor’s money here,” he said.

The approximate cost of sampling each dog in the Leitrim pilot was €100 according to a DLR County Council report.

Cllr Kennelly replied that testing would only be done on new licences and current licences would remain unaffected.

The council replied that for dog DNA database to be effective, equitable and enforceable, it would need to be implemented on a national basis.

Director of Corporate Services, Martin O’Donoghue, acknowledged there was a “significant” number of dogs not licenced in the county, arguing the measures would fail to address those individuals.

“Any system is as good as the number of its subscribers,” he said, adding that those who are already licensed are more likely to comply with other rules.

The council also pointed out that the county accommodates a significant number of visitors who bring dogs into the area on a temporary basis, meaning the database would have “limited effectiveness”.

In 2024, 49 on-the-spot fines were issued under the Control of Dogs Acts, with only 11 paid.

The council pursued 10 prosecutions in relation to fines, resulting in only one conviction.

While most counties didn’t attempt any prosecutions, Kerry’s conviction rate was the worst of any county.