The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) has said it "demands action" on livestock worrying and dog attacks, saying the issue has reached a "crisis point".

The farm organisation said that this crisis continues to escalate on Ireland's hills and farmlands.

To address the issue, the INHFA had developed a petition with what it calls a "book of evidence", which has been submitted to both the government and the European Parliament.

This petition calls for a national DNA register, stricter legislation, and government led-enforcement.

INHFA vice-president John Joe Fitzgerald claimed that dog attacks are not only increasing in frequency, but are becoming "disturbingly vicious" leaving farmers feeling "abandoned, disrespected, and unprotected by a government that continues to treat them as second-class citizens".

"On our hills, law and order is breaking down and we are seeing some recreational dog users showing blatant disregard for the safety of farm animals and the rights of landowners," Fitzgerald said.

"This cannot continue and it is important that everyone understands this, which is why we are taking action," he added.

The demands that the INHFA have put forward include:

Mandatory licencing, microchipping and DNA sampling of all dogs;
Creation of a centralised database under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine;
One-off government subsidy to cover the cost of DNA sampling, with a clear time limit to encourage compliance;
Zero-tolerance policy for non-compliance after the deadline for DNA testing;
Legislation banning non-working dogs from the hills and farmlands, including criminal penalties.

Those actions would, according to Fitzgerald, "deliver much better outcomes in terms of dog control, but will also need adequate enforcement backed up with a renewed focus on education".

The INHFA vice-president said that enforcement around dog control laws at present is "virtually non-existent".

In order to properly enforce dog control laws, the farm organisation is also calling for:

Stronger penalties;
Zero-tolerance from judges;
Roaming patrol units in tourist hotspots, trails and walkways, made up of gardaí, dog wardens and rangers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS);
Large increase in the number of dog wardens.

The INHFA said that the current number of dog wardens in the country - one per county - is "completely inadequate".

John Joe Fitzgerald also called for greater awareness and education, and called for a national education campaign on livestock worrying and dog attacks to operate within schools and the tourism industry.

"This is not an overreaction. This is a plea for basic protection and equal treatment. Our animals are suffering. Our communities are suffering. We've been ignored long enough," he said.

"This legislation will send a clear, unambiguous message, and challenge those who refuse to respect farming families, property rights, and the law. The government needs to act now, not later, and work directly with farmers to create new laws, enforce them, and prioritise education," he added.