Council satisfied with new pound arrangement

SOUTH Dublin County Council has defended its decision to send strays and unwanted dogs to a different pound, despite objections from an animal rescue charity.

According to A Dog’s Life, a move by the council to send dogs to Ashton Pound instead of Dunboyne Pound could mean the loss of hundreds of healthy animals each year.

A Dog’s Life claims the new arrangement, which came into force on Wednesday, July 31, will see approximately 1,200 dogs sent to Ashton Pound every year.

The charity fears that Ashton Pound, which already houses dogs from other council districts, could struggle to cope with additional unwanted animals coming in every year.

Martina Roche from A Dog’s Life said they had an arrangement with Dunboyne Pound that saw the charity rehome 70 per cent of the dogs that ended up there.

However, she said no similar arrangement currently exists between her organisation and Ashton Pound.

“We simply can’t see how Ashton will be able to deal with an additional 1,200 dogs annually,

? she said.

“This will inevitably lead to more and more dogs being put down. We feel that this decision has been made with little regard for the welfare of the dogs but merely to save money.

“We are very upset that it has come to this after working extremely successfully with one of the largest pounds in the country for more than seven years and building very good relationships with pound staff and the dog wardens.

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She added:

“Our arrangement with Dunboyne Pound saw us save the lives of hundreds of dogs each year.

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According to a statement from South Dublin County Council, the local authority, as well as Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council, jointly advertised for the provision of a dog pound service in March 2013 as part of a public procurement process.

“Following assessment of the tender submissions, which included inspections by veterinary inspectors to confirm the adequacy of the facilities from a welfare perspective, the local authorities were satisfied that Ashton Dog Pound was best placed to provide the service and the contract has been awarded accordingly,

? the statement reads.

“The contract came into effect from August 1. In order to ensure that the best service is being delivered there will be regular inspections and monitoring of the facility by veterinary staff and ongoing review meetings with the contractor.

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The statement adds:

“Discussions with the facility that was awarded the contract are of a confidential nature and details are commercially sensitive.

“It is not possible for the council to consult with any organisation outside the process.

“It is important to note that South Dublin County Council’s policy with regard to re-homing and animal welfare will not change.

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The council pointed out that Ashton Pound currently deals with a number of rehoming and animal welfare groups including Dogs Trust, Heathlands, Dundalk Dogs, the DSPCA, Stokenchurch, Cara Rescue and Labrador Rescue UK.

The council added that arrangements have been made to ensure that A Dog’s Life can be included on the list if they want to be.