New report recommends overhaul of legislation governing sale and supply of dogs

The Government needs to introduce improved legislation governing the sale, supply, and advertising of dogs, says Sinn Fein Senator Lynn Boylan.

Senator Boylan was speaking following the publication of the Oireachtas Committee Report on Dog Welfare in Ireland, of which she helped author.

“I am delighted with the Committee’s report,” she said.

“The focus of the Agriculture Committee is generally around agricultural issues but when I joined the Committee I pointed out that the Committee is also responsible for animal health and welfare legislation and as it is ten years old that we, as a committee, should be reviewing that legislation.

“The Committee kindly facilitated my request and a series of hearings to see if the existing legislation was fit for purpose then followed.

“This report is the culmination of those hearings which involved stakeholders and which were held over nearly a year.

“We identified gaps in the existing law, where the law needed to be better enforced and where new laws were needed to move with the times.

“I am particularly happy that the issue of puppy farms have been addressed in this report.

“Unfortunately Ireland has the record of being the puppy farm capital of Europe and that currently only guidelines exist for puppy farms.

“This has been the main problem as guidelines are simply not legally binding.

“I am also delighted that the issue of dogs with cropped ears has been addressed in the report.”

The report recommends that the cropping of dogs’ ears should be banned due to the “emotional and physical pain” and that fertility services should be regulated in order to prevent untrained people carrying out such services.

The surgical artificial insemination of dogs should also be banned according to the report, “due to the risks involved to dogs, even when performed in a controlled, sterile and surgical environment.”