Control of Dogs Act, 1986 (Guard Dogs) Regulations, 1988.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 (Guard Dogs) Regulations, 1988.
(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of February, 1989.
2 Interpretation.
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paragraphs: (1) Article 3 of these Regulations is made pursuant to section 19 (2) (c) of the Act.
(2) Article 5 of these Regulations is made pursuant to section 19 (2) (a) and (b) of the Act.
(3) Article 6 of these Regulations is made in relation to matters specified in section 19 (2) (e) and (f)of the Act.
(4) In these Regulations:—
"the Act" means the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 ;
"agricultural premises" means premises used for purposes directly associated with the pursuit of agriculture but does not include creameries or premises used for the sale of agricultural produce or of goods or machinery used for agricultural purposes;
"agriculture" including horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming, livestock breeding and keeping, the use of land as grazing land, meadow land or woodland and market gardens and nursery grounds;
"guard dog" means a dog which is being used to protect—
(a) premises, or
(b) goods or property kept on premises, or
(c) a person guarding premises or such goods or property;
"guard dog kennels" means a premises where a person in the course of business keeps a dog which (notwithstanding that it is used for other purposes) is used as a guard dog elsewhere, other than a dog which is used as a guard dog only at a place belonging to or occupied by its owner;
"the Society" means the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
(5) In these Regulations, a reference to a sub-article is, unless a contrary intention appears, a reference to the sub-article of the article in which the reference occurs.
3 Control of guard dogs.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to sub-article (4), a person shall not use or permit the use of a guard dog at—
(a) premises used for the purposes of any trade, profession, vocation, sport or recreation,
(b) premises where building or other construction work is taking place, or
(c) premises used for the purposes of clubs providing facilities to their members or their guests,
unless the conditions specified in sub-article (2) are complied with.
(2) The conditions referred to in sub-article (1) are—
(a) that the dog is—
(i) accompanied by and under the control of a person who is on the premises, or
(ii) is so secured that is not at liberty to go freely about the premises or to escape therefrom; and
(b) that a notice containing a warning that a guard dog is present is clearly exhibited at each entrance to the premises being guarded or, where the premises are not enclosed, in a prominent location thereon.
(3) A notice exhibited pursuant to sub-article (2) shall—
(a) be not less than 0.5 square metres in area,
(b) include a large drawing of the outline or silhouette of the head and shoulders of a German Shepherd (Alsatian) dog, and
(c) include the words "BEWARE GUARD DOG" in large lettering.
(4) This article shall not apply as respects—
(a) premises used or guarded by members of the Garda SÃ­ochÃ¡na or of the Defence Forces in the execution of their duty,
(b) premises which belong to or are occupied by the owner of the dog and which comprise a dwelling house occupied by him,
(c) agricultural premises.
4 Construction and operation of guard dog kennels.
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paragraphs: Guard dog kennels used for the accommodation of more than five guard dogs aged over four months shall be constructed and operated in accordance with the provisions of the First Schedule to these Regulations.
5 Registration of guard dog kennels.
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paragraphs: (1) A person shall not keep guard dog kennels for the accommodation of more than five guard dogs aged over four months unless such premises are registered in accordance with this article.
(2) A local authority, on application to them by a person operating or intending to operate guard dog kennels at premises within their area, may register such kennels for the purposes of sub-article (1) subject to or without conditions or may refuse to so register them.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-article (1), the keeping of guard dog kennels by a person shall, in the period before registration is granted or refused, be deemed not to have contravened the provisions of that sub-article if an application for registration of the kennels has been made by the person before the 1st day of February, 1989 and the requirements of sub-article (4) have been complied with.
(4) (a) An application for registration shall be accompanied by such particulars as are necessary to identify the kennels or their proposed location, plans and specifications of any existing structures or structures proposed to be erected or altered, a statement of the maximum number of guard dogs aged over four months proposed to be kept at the kennels and a statement regarding any disqualifications or convictions of the kinds referred to in sub-articles (6) and (7).
(b) An applicant for registration shall furnish to the local authority such other particulars as the authority may reasonably require for consideration of the application for registration.