Several animal rights organisations have met with members of the Oireachtas and agreed that a cross-party Dáil animal welfare group is “urgently needed”.
This is according to Aontú leader, Deputy Peadar Tóibín who, speaking at Leinster House yesterday (Wednesday, May 3), said that animal misuse, abuse and theft is increasing in Ireland.
“I’m impressed with the other TDs who have expressed an interest in this venture, and it is hoped we’ll have a cross-party group up and running before the Dáil summer recess”, Deputy Tóibín said.
Claiming that animals are dying from starvation, thirst and abuse and only this week a horse was killed in a Sulky race and “no one has been arrested for the crime”, the party leader said:
“Animals are being found decomposed, covered in feces in the cages that they have spent all their lives in. Hundreds of dogs are being stolen each year by criminal gangs that are making tens of thousands of euros.”
Deputy Tóibín feels that the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Department of Social Protection are all responsible for aspects of animal welfare.
The deputy said this is leading to contradictions in the law and inertia.
“The weakness of the Gardaí and the lack of funding means that the burden of animal protection is being left to scores of really good community groups,” he added.
Animal welfare
Aontú have introduced a bill which proposes a mandatory minimum sentence of ten months imprisonment for the theft of a family pet.
“We all know that pets are part of the family. During lockdown in particular we saw trends of pet theft emerging, and it is something which caused untold heartbreak to many families or pet-owners across the country,” Tóibín said.
Adding that Aontú have also introduced legislation which seeks to strengthen the regulation of dog-breeding establishments, the party leader said:
“Puppy farms have a notorious reputation in many cases for cruelty and heavy breeding. I would urge anyone seeking to buy a dog to do so from a source where there is certainty that there was no cruelty involved.
“The theft of animals for breeding, or for selling is a very real phenomenon in this country, and buyers should be certain they are not purchasing an animal which has been stolen.”
Deputy Tóibín, who stressed the importance of working with other politicians on the matter, will speak more on these legislative proposals today (Thursday, May 4).
A trained veterinary nurse and secretary of Aontú, Sarah Beasley said she was delighted to organise this event together with Lisa O Connor of Pet Theft Ireland.