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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Responsible dog ownership

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There has been a lot of discussion recently about dog ownership and the current level of dog control regulations in Ireland.

‘Man’s best friend’, dogs, particularly large dogs, represent a potential danger to pedestrians, motorists and livestock if they are not kept under control at all times.

All dog owners have a responsibility to ensure that their dog is properly cared for and that they are not a nuisance or a danger to their neighbours or other members of the public. Dogs that are not kept under proper control may also cause nuisance and annoyance by damaging or defecating on neighbours' property, or by excessive barking. Local authorities are responsible for the control of dogs under the Control of Dogs Act 1986. They can appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against dog owners.

Legal Requirements

If you are a dog owner, you must have a dog licence and get your dog microchipped. All dogs over four months of age must have a licence. Puppies aged under four months who are still with their mothers don't need a licence, but once they leave their mothers they must have one.

There are three types of dog licence:

An individual dog licence, which costs €20 and is valid for one year.
A 'lifetime of dog' licence, which costs €140 and is valid for the dog’s lifetime.
A general dog licence, which costs €400 and is valid for one year. This covers an unspecified number of dogs at one location.

You can apply for an individual or lifetime dog licence at your local post office or licences.ie. A general dog licence application must be submitted to your local authority.

Your dog must be under your control, or the control of another responsible person, if it is outside your home or premises. This means that you have complete control over your dog's movements. You are liable for any injury or damage your dog causes to people or livestock.

It is an offence to let a dog under your control foul in a public place. If it does happen, you, or the person in charge of the dog, must remove the faeces and dispose of them in a suitable, sanitary manner. If a dog fouls in a public place, and the owner doesn’t remove the faeces, you can make a complaint to the District Court under litter laws. Before you do this, you must inform the dog owner by completing a form available from the Dog Control Unit of your local authority.

Dangerous dogs

These are a list of breeds of dogs that are considered to be potentially more dangerous to people than other breeds of dog. It is not that these dogs are more likely to attack or bite a person than any other breed, but that if they do, the damage that they can inflict is much more serious. Additional rules apply to the following breeds (and strains/cross-breeds):

American Pit Bull Terrier
English Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Bull Mastiff
Dobermann Pinscher
German Shepherd (Alsatian)
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Japanese Akita
Japanese Tosa

These dogs (or strains and crosses of them) must:

Be kept on a short strong lead by someone over the age of 16, who is capable of controlling them.
Be securely muzzled whenever they are in a public place
Wear a collar with the name and address of their owner, at all times.

All dog owners owning purebred or crossbred dogs belonging to this list of breeds must ensure that these dogs are securely muzzled and on a strong leash not more than two metres in length when in a public place.

The rules on muzzling and leashing do not apply to dogs used by the Gardaí, the Dublin Harbour Police, State Airport Police and bona fide rescue teams in rescue operations. The rules on muzzling do not apply to guide dogs for the blind.

Stray dogs

Stray dogs are dogs that are in a public place and are not accompanied by the owner or a responsible person. Interestingly, dogs that are not under proper control are also considered stray dogs. You can receive an on-the-spot fine if your dog is not under proper control. Stray dogs can be seized by the dog warden or Gardaí and brought to a dog pound. These dogs may be put down or re-homed if their owners do not claim them within five days. If your dog has strayed or is missing, you should contact the local dog pound directly to check if your dog is there. Before you collect it, you will have to pay a re-claim fee and produce a current dog licence. If you do not have a current dog licence, you must get one before collecting your dog.

Noisy dogs

If your neighbour’s dog won’t stop barking and you are unable to resolve the issue with the dog owner, you can make a complaint to the District Court and look for a hearing. When you get a court date, you must notify the dog owner using a prescribed form, which is available from your local authority or District Court.

You can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 07 7860. The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

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Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

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