Irish Dog Bite Law
Irish dog bite law originally began with the English 1871 Dogs Act which, despite the Irish gaining independence in 1922, remained as the enforced legislation until the introduction of the Control of Dogs Act 1986. Under the details of the Act, the owner is liable for any damage caused in an attack on any person by the dog, and under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 further restrictions were placed upon specified breeds that require these dogs to be securely muzzled and on a lead of no longer than 2 metres, led by a person of 16 years or older.
Irish dog bite law originally began with the English 1871 Dogs Act which, despite the Irish gaining independence in 1922, remained as the enforced legislation until the introduction of the Control of Dogs Act 1986. Under the details of the Act, the owner is liable for any damage caused in an attack on any person by the dog, and under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 further restrictions were placed upon specified breeds that require these dogs to be securely muzzled and on a lead of no longer than 2 metres, led by a person of 16 years or older.
Irish laws on dog control are actually seen as fairly extensive in comparison to many other nations, namely with the requirement of a dog license, something that is not enforced in numerous other European countries including the United Kingdom. However despite the legislation in place, there are still many reports of dog attacks on humans in the national press and there are calls for further legislation on the control of dangerous dogs and for tougher enforcement of the restrictions put on dog owners. The process of micro-chipping is seen as a measure to help local authorities place more responsibility on dog owners to control their dogs, and there are complaints that this has not already been made compulsory, particularly for “dangerous breeds”.
The introduction of compulsory micro-chipping may indeed help lessen the number of dog attacks, but it will not eradicate the problem. Micro-chipping is effective in identifying offenders, but is not preventative in itself. And while it may lead the owner to take more care with the dog, and therefore to some extent help reduce the number of attacks by dogs in public it does little to tackle the problem of attacks made in homes. In fact a recent study by the University College Dublin (UCD) found that the majority of dog-biting attacks in Ireland take place when a person is walking past a dog’s territory or during interactions with the dog in the home. The study found that 21% of incidents surveyed in the report were rated as “serious” and that 50% of the victims of dog biting attacks required professional medical assistance following the attack. The report also found that the majority of attacks weren’t exclusive to the restricted breeds listed in the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998, but were spread among the popular breeds of Collies, Cocker/Springer Spaniels, Terrier breeds, Jack Russell Terriers, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers, and that the biting incidents were equally likely to occur in rural and urban/suburban areas.
The dog owner has a responsibility to ensure the safety of other people by controlling their dog regardless of whether they are at home or in a public place, and they are liable for damages should any attack take place.
