Council destroys most dogs across all Councils during three month period

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council (FODC) has had to destroy 31 stray or unwanted dogs within a three-month period this year.
The figures, released by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) show that between April and June, the local authority humanely destroyed the most animals across all 11 councils. The second highest was Newry, Mourne and Down District Council with 17.
The report shows a considerable disparity in dog control between councils.
While FODC only issued one fixed penalty within the three month period, generating an income of £50, Belfast City Council, with the highest number of imposed fixed penalties at 227, generated an income of £5,530.
FODC only issued one warning letter in relation to dog control during the period. Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council issued 1,278.
Our local authority issued 1,435 dog licences between April and June.
It received 79 complaints in relation to strays during that time; 19 dogs were seized and returned to their owners, while 45 were impounded. While 14 of the strays were passed to an animal shelter, only one was sold to the public and seven had to be humanely destroyed.
Fifty-eight unwanted dogs were either collected by the council at the owner’s request or dropped off at the council pound.
According to the statistics, there are 96 dog licences in the FODC area which currently have control conditions attached to them. Seven of these were imposed between April and June because of: straying (1); the control of dogs on roads or lands (1); attacking livestock (3); attacking a person (2).
The council recorded 17 cases of attacks on a person by a dog during the period and five cases of worrying livestock. All of these were resolved without further action.