A young boy remains in serious condition in hospital after a vicious attack by a pitbull while he was out playing in a local estate in Enniscorthy.
The dog has since been put down, but the incident has brought to light a conversation over which dogs should be allowed as domestic pets in Ireland.
Although no dog should be trusted alone around a small child - no matter how trained you may think they are - there is a list of breeds that families should avoid and are restricted by law.
It is important to note that there are no dog breeds considered illegal to own in Ireland, but rather a list of restricted dogs which come with added rules when they’re in public.
The full list of restricted dog breeds in Ireland - as compiled by dogs.ie - is:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- English Bull Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Bull Mastiff
- Dobermann Pinscher
- Rottweiler
- German Shepherd (Alsatian)
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Japanese Akita
- Japanese Tosa
- Ban dog – a so called ban-dog is a cross of any of the above breeds mentioned or any strain of the above dogs listed
Rules for restricted breeds in Ireland
This law is the The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998, and the rules state:
- All these dogs need to be muzzled in public.
- These dogs must be on a short, less than 2 metres (6.5 feet), lead. The leash must be ‘sufficiently strong’ or it needs to be a chain.
- Dogs must wear a collar at all times with the owners information on it. This information should include owners name & address.
- These dogs can only be led by people over the age of 16
Some exceptions exist to The Control of Dogs Regulations, and are outlined in the law.
Most of these exceptions pertain to law enforcement, border protection, or other essential services. The exceptions to these rules include:
- Dogs kept by Garda Síochana / the Defence Forces,
- Dogs kept by the Dublin Port / Docks Board Harbour Police / any Airport
- Police / Fire Service at a State Airport.
- Dogs kept by the Central Fisheries Board or a Regional Fisheries Board,
- Dogs kept by the Customs and Excise service of the Revenue Commissioners,
- Dogs properly used in the search and rescue of a missing person.
If you need to report a dog in your area which is posing a threat to children, or adults, you can find all the information you need here.
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