THE National Trust and Mourne Heritage Trust are amongst the organisations calling for dog owners to ‘take the lead’ and keep their pets under control.
Having joined forces with Northern Ireland Water for the appeal, they have been prompted to go public following a spate of attacks on livestock.
Heavily pregnant livestock have miscarried whilst other animals have sustained broken limbs.
In the 2022/23 financial year, the local council received 21 reported cases of livestock worrying.
The organisations care for much of the High Mournes and, collectively through the Forever Mournes partnership, they are raising awareness about livestock worrying and wildlife disturbance resulting from dogs being off a lead.
Over half a million people visit the Mournes each year, with many bringing their dogs with them.
With a long history of grazing livestock on the Mournes, these traditional farming practices have helped to create the landscape of the Mournes which we see today.
Acknowledging this, Sam McConnell, from the Mourne Conservation Graziers group, explained that, historically, mountain areas were grazed by a mixture of sheep and cattle, creating species-rich landscapes.
He added that grazing forms part of good management of the Mournes, as some habitats rely on it for their good condition or even existence.
Adding that “livestock worrying up here in the Mournes is becoming a massive issue,” Sam continued: “At certain times of year, the sheep are heavily pregnant, and it can cause them to miscarry. We’ve also seen several legs broken and backs broken.
“The majority of the walkers are responsible and abide by the rules, but you get a few that cause problems when they let their dogs off-lead when they think there’s no sheep out, but around the next corner and over the next hill, there’s sheep that you haven’t seen.”
With 21 cases of livestock worrying reported to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) from April 2022 to March 2023, it is thought this figure is nowhere near all the incidents to have occurred, as many are not reported to dog wardens.
It is the law that a dog on any land with livestock must be properly controlled by a leash held by the person in charge of the dog.
Mr McConnell added: “Dogs have a natural curiosity, and this means that any dog can cause distress, or worse, to livestock or wildlife.
“Dog attacks on sheep cause obvious suffering to sheep, but they also have a financial, emotional and time impact on farmers and their families.
“Dogs off-lead can also trample and damage fragile plants and flowers, as well as the nests of ground-nesting birds, leaving eggs exposed to the cold and predators.
“The Mournes are home to 10 species of ground-nesting birds, including the Grouse, Skylark and Wheatear. Their well camouflaged nests are at risk from habitat loss and disturbance by people and their dogs.”
Collectively, Mourne farmers, dog trainers, dog owners and conservation organisations have produced a video to help educate people about the importance of keeping dogs on leads in the Mourne uplands.
This was debuted at Castlewellan Show on Saturday, where some of the team also took the opportunity to reinforce the message.
Describing the Mournes as “such an important place for so many reasons”, The National Trust’s James Fisher noted that this local landscape is also Northern Ireland’s top recreational hiking area, which is home to rare plants, birds, and Northern Ireland’s only reptile.
“One fifth of our population gets its drinking water from the Mournes and, for many, the view of the majestic mountain range brings much joy and solace,” he said.
“The area has always been a popular hiking destination, however since the pandemic, we’ve seen big increases in the number of people visiting.
“Walking in open spaces has increased fourfold, along with a doubling of dog ownership, so it’s easy to see why walking with dogs off leads in the countryside has become more problematic.
“We all need to play our part to help look after the area and the partnership recognises the benefits of walking in the open countryside and the pleasure that owning a family pet can bring, and that’s why the message is simple – keep dogs on lead at all times in the Mourne uplands,” he added.
There are many places to let a loved family dog off lead and you can find out more on the www.visitmournemountains.co.uk website.
