Donegal County Council is being urged to implement emergency by-laws banning dogs off leads on our beaches all year round.
Dog owners are currently banned from allowing their pets to run free during the summer months of June, July and August.
But with many dog owners ignoring even that rule there are calls for a year-round bans and proper enforcement of the laws.
A number of dog owners have contacted DD in recent days expressing new concerns over how allowing dogs to roam off the leash is effecting social distancing.
“I was out with my dog on its lead on Rathmullan beach on Sunday when she was attacked by another dog whose owner had let his pet off the lead,” said a Milford mum.
“I was literally six inches from the owner of the other dog as we tried to separate them.
“I called Donegal County Council on Monday and I’m still awaiting a response. I am also concerned that the virus may well go from one dog to another. We still don’t know enough about it; so there should be a no risk policy.
“If Councillors have to meet online to do this then they should meet and bring in the ban.”
There is also emerging scientific research showing the Covid-19 Coronavirus can stay for hours on animal fur.
Earlier this week vet Pete Wedderburn told the Irish Times that “dogs and cats cannot get coronavirus, but you should keep your dog two metres from other dogs and humans if you are out for a walk”, he said.
In addition to not getting the virus, Mr Wedderburn said dogs could not transmit it to humans, in an aerosol fashion, through droplets.
But he said social distancing should be extended to pets just in case a pet comes into contact with the virus through, for example, somebody sneezing on it.
“Like any other surface, a dog’s coat can carry viruses back to a human, so there has to be a little isolation involved,” he explained.
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