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TV3 vet says it's time to regulate Irish puppy farms

Karlin

Karlin

Administrator
Staff member
The Annual Spayweek Ireland campaign to spay and neuter your cats and dogs is on right now, from May 27 to June 3rd.

More info: www.spayweekireland.ie

We put down nearly 17,000 dogs in Irish pounds last year, including cavaliers. This is one of the highest rates of euthenasia in Europe and a direct contributor to these thousands of unwanted pets are puppy farm dogs which, because they are never socialised and come from poor breeding stock, run a higher chance of being abandoned due to health and behaviour problems. This is one of the issues we would like to see tackled by the incoming Irish government. In addition, we'd like to see more transparency and better facilities in the pounds -- many have substandard facilities, and some, such as the Limerick pound, put down almost ALL the dogs that come in. many pounds are only open a few hours a week making it unlikely people will find their dog or even go to the pound for rehoming. And because many pounds (MOST!) do not give access to rescues, I never know about some of the cavaliers that come in and end up being put down. There are also almost NO facilities to take stray or injured cats int he entire country outside of individual private rescues and cats do not even have standing in Irish law as domestic animals, they are classified as 'vermin'; and can be exterminated by agencies including some that also go by the name of (and receive govt funding as) cat rescue agencies!

All these issues are part of the Bigger Picture of why it's nicer to neuter (as Pete Wedderburn, TV3 vet... and a supporter of Irish Cavalier Rescue!... says in the Dogs Trust ad).

For Irish folks interested in finding out how they can help affect change in these areas, check out the lobby group for animal welfare in Ireland, Anvil (www.anvil.ie ).

As soon as I know who the next Minister for the Environment is to be, we will be back campaigning for the government to fulfill its promise to implement the recommendations of the puppy farm advisory group. We might be calling on YOU to turn out and petition at the Dail (Irish govt buildings)! ;)

Meanwhile, Pete and Spayweek Ireland have issued this press release today:

TV vet says it’s time to act on promise to regulate puppy farms
May 29th, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
29 May, 2007

TV vet says it’s time to act on promise to regulate puppy farms

A leading campaigner has called on the incoming government to deliver on promises to regulate Ireland’s puppy farms without any further delay.

TV vet Pete Wedderburn of the National Stray Dog and Cat Forum said today (29/05/07) that it is now a full year since the outgoing Environment Minister Dick Roche had announced his intention to implement the recommendations of a working group appointed to look into the issue.

“Although the announcement was very welcome, we are still awaiting positive follow-up in the form of new regulations and firm action to prevent any further suffering of animals in unregulated breeding establishments,” Mr. Wedderburn said.

“Over recent times Ireland has earned an unenviable reputation as the puppy farm capital of Europe, which is very unfair and damaging to the country’s many reputable dog breeders,” he said.

“For this reason it is important that the incoming government should without any further delay deliver on the outgoing Minister’s promise by implementing the recommendations of the excellent report by the Working Group on the Review of the Management of Dog Breeding Establishments. This is long overdue and will at last create a legal foundation for eradicating the darker sides of the dog breeding industry.”

Mr. Wedderburn added that large-scale unregulated dog breeding in so-called “puppy farms” is directly connected to Ireland crisis of unwanted dogs, no fewer than 16, 546 of which were destroyed in the country’s local authority dog pounds in 2005.

Reducing this toll is the key focus of Spay Week Ireland 2007. This year taking place from May 27th to June 2nd, the campaign aims to tackle the country’s unwanted animal crisis by persuading more owners to spay or neuter their pets.

The National Stray Dog and Cat Forum

Spay Week Ireland 2007 is an initiative of The National Stray Dog and Cat Forum. This comprises representatives from Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society (VICAS), Irish Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), Irish Kennel Club (IKC), Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, plus 25 other local animal welfare and rescue organisations, and a number of County Councils.

Dogs Trust

Spay Week Ireland 2007 is supported by international dog-welfare charity Dogs Trust, which runs a nationwide subsidised neutering campaign that offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €14. For further information on participating vets and eligibility please call Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline 1890 946 336.

The Blue Cross

The Irish Blue Cross also operates a subsidised neutering scheme throughout the year with funding from the Department of the Environment. Working closely with the veterinary profession and local animal welfare groups, the Blue Cross provides treatment for thousands of needy animals each year.

Issued on behalf of Spay Week Ireland 2006 by CN Media.
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