62 dogs and puppies have been surrendered and taken into the care of Offaly County Council and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) as part of an illegal breeding establishment discovery.
As a result of information received by the council and the ISPCA, a joint operation was recently conducted and led to the discovery of the establishment, operating without a licence.
A total of 44 breeding females and nine male dogs were found on the premises, as well as six litters of pups.
62 dogs and puppies were surrendered by the operator and taken into the care of Offaly County Council and the ISPCA where they are being fully assessed. The council subsequently served a closure notice on the operator.
The dogs are receiving ongoing assessment and care
The ISPCA has thanked Offaly County Council for the “prompt and determined action in this case and also the source of the information that led to this investigation”.
“It is important that the public can have confidence that the Dog Breeding Establishments Act will be robustly enforced and that illegal dog breeding establishments will be dealt with decisively,” an ISPCA spokesperson said.
The dogs are receiving ongoing assessment and care. Some of the puppies are very young and will be in care for many weeks and won’t be available for rehoming for some time.
The ISPCA asks members of the public to continue to report animal cruelty, neglect or abuse in confidence to the National Animal Cruelty Helpline.
Aontú Pet Theft Bill Passes First Stage Bill in the Dáil
In a bid to combat further illegal practice, Aontú introduced a pet theft bill recently. It passed First Stage in the Dáil last week.
“In the last year, the issue of pet theft has come into sharp focus for many families in Ireland,” the deputy said.
“The Covid lockdowns [have] seen many people decide to get a family pet. This, amongst other factors, has seen the price of pets, especially dogs, increase significantly.
There is now a lucrative market for pet thieves. Professional criminal gangs are making big money from the theft of pets.
“I have many stories of thieves leaving marks on the road in chalk or by tying a piece of string to a garden gate to target those houses. These thieves often return after dark to steal the family pet.”