Beaches like ‘wild west’ as restricted dog breeds roam unchecked – Tolan

Beaches in East Meath have become like "the wild west" due to irresponsible dog owners flouting laws for restricted breeds according to a local Fine Gael cllr who is calling for a greater presence of dog wardens in the area.

Cllr Sharon Tolan raised her concerns on the issue at the March Laytown Bettystown Municipal District meeting saying action needed to be taken before a serious incident occurs.

"I raised this issue at last Monday's council meeting following on from my colleague Alan Tobin's motion last month in relation to providing extra resources to hire more dog wardens because I think right across the county we are experiencing this, and maybe we are noticing it more since that horrific incident in Wexford where a young boy was attacked.

"It has become a bit like the wild west out here on the beach, anything goes. I'm an advocate for responsible dog ownership, I'm an avid supporter of people being allowed to walk their dogs off leash but that is not restricted breeds and that is only responsible dog owners who have effective control over their dog. If you don't it's actually against the law for you to have your dog off the lead.

"I recently witnessed a gentleman with a Doberman off lead and not muzzled and a German Shepherd and a Pitbull off lead and not muzzled."

Tolan says extra resources need to be put in place on the beaches at the weekend when the area is at its busiest.

"I'm sick and blue in the face ringing the Gardai and the dog wardens, " she said. "A dog warden works Monday to Friday but at the weekends it has just become a free for all.

"It' s only a matter of time before an incident happens and that's when we will react but we should be taking action now and enforcing the current laws that we have."