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ISPCA remove 86 dogs from illegal dog breeder

8th August 2018

The ISPCA is appealing to the public for donations after taking in over 100 dogs in just three days.  

Eighty six dogs, including 23 puppies were removed by ISPCA Inspectors from an unlicensed dog breeding establishment in County Roscommon following a visit by the Inspector and the county dog warden last Friday. The dogs were being kept in very poor conditions and had only one person to care for them all. Nineteen of the dogs were suffering from a variety of health issues including mange, eye conditions and ear infections and are now receiving veterinary treatment.  A further 17 puppies were removed from a house on Thursday where the owner had allowed his dogs to breed without consideration for the consequences. All of the dogs will need to be vaccinated, neutered and microchipped before being responsibly rehomed in Ireland.

The dogs, including Shih Tzu’s, Cocker Spaniels, Jack Russell terriers, Pugs, French bulldogs and other various mixed breeds, are currently being cared for at the ISPCA’s animal centres in Longford and Donegal and will not be available for rehoming for several weeks. Twenty five dogs have been transferred to our friends at Dogs Trust and we are very grateful for their assistance.

Dog breeders are required to be registered and licensed under the Dog Breeding Establishments (DBE) Act 2010 if they have six or more female dogs over the age of six months and capable of breeding. The Guidelines associated with the DBE Act were recently revised and published by the Department for Rural and Community Development (DRCD) but will not come into force until January 2019. Although in this case the premises was not licensed, it demonstrates the need for an appropriate number of staff to care for the dogs in such premises. In the consultation on the new Guidelines, the ISPCA called for a staff to dog ratio of 1:10, instead DRCD opted for 1:25. The ISPCA does not believe that one person can provide adequate care for that number of dogs, particularly if all of them have a litter of puppies.

The ISPCA is asking the public to report their suspicions about unlicensed dog breeders to the ISPCA’s National Animal Cruelty Helpline 1890 515515 or to the local authority.

The ISPCA is also asking pet owners to ensure that they get their dog neutered to avoid unwanted litters. The 17 puppies removed from a private dwelling were the result of the owner failing to get his dogs neutered. The ISPCA will now ensure that the dogs at that property are neutered to avoid a repeat of this incident. Neutering can also provide health benefits for your pet – and recent research has shown that neutered dogs live longer, so it is in their best interests to get them neutered as soon as possible.

Senior ISPCA Inspector Kevin McGinley said: “The ISPCA is grateful to have secured the removal of all dogs from this unlicensed premises. With so many dogs in our care we are appealing to the public to support us financially with this challenge and by offering responsible homes for the pups and dogs. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Roscommon County Council and the county Dog Warden for their assistance”

Inspector Karen Lyons said: “I would urge the public to continue to report these establishments. Due to the inadequate care these dogs were clearly in distress. We are excited for the future of these dogs where they will go on to caring and loving homes once they are available for rehoming.”

ISPCA Inspectors became authorised officers under the AHWA in May 2014 and since then have used their statutory powers effectively to deal with animal neglect, cruelty and abuse. Although we would like to see stronger penalties for animal cruelty to act as a deterrent, we would like to get the message across that all animal owners and anyone who looks after animals have a legal obligation to provide them with their welfare needs. Failure to do so will result in them being held to account. The ISPCA will not tolerate animal cruelty and will do all that we can to stamp it out in Ireland.

If you can support the ISPCA, please make a single donation or consider becoming a regular donor by visiting our website www.ispca.ie  

You can also text ISPCA to 50300 to donate €4.  Text costs €4.  The ISPCA will receive a minimum of €3.25.  Service provider:  LIKE CHARITY.  Helpline: 0766805278.

Thank you