Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

If the Dog Breeding Establishments Act were working, I would not have been submitting this issue for consideration as a topical issue over the past two and a half weeks and I would not have had the opportunity to discuss it now, which is great, albeit without the Minister, Deputy Coveney. However, I do hope to meet him about these issues at some point over the next week or so.

The Dog Breeding Establishments Act is not working and, consequently, there is absolutely scandalous treatment of dogs, very particularly of puppies in the so-called puppy farms, and I want to highlight a number of concerns in this regard.

There is no upward limit on the number of breeding bitches on a puppy farm. I have seen figures of over 400 bitches on one farm. Many of those premises seriously underestimate the number of dogs present. Inspections are by appointment, with several weeks notice being given to these establishments. When the premises are found to be non-compliant, they are given what is called an improvement notice and then invited to comply. Those who carry out the inspections lack the resources to do the work effectively. Instead of the authorities here working proactively, we are being shamed into doing something by the likes of the recent BBC programme on the puppy farms in Cavan. However, the animal welfare groups have been trying to rectify this and have been highlighting this for years. For example, a licensed puppy farm in Carlow passed inspections by the local authority but it had multiples of the permitted number of dogs, and those dogs were living in absolute squalor.

A massive trade in puppy farm dogs is facilitated by online sites and Internet sales. I know the Minister, Deputy Coveney, when Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine tried with his officials to rectify this with the Animal Health and Welfare Act, but it does not address certain aspects of animal welfare. For example, much was expected of the microchip legislation, but it is not being enforced. At a recent fair there were numerous dogs for sale with no microchip or paperwork. If there is no traceability, there is no accountability. The pounds and the rescues are taking the dogs that are microchipped to the breeder, but the breeder has no record of whom the dog is sold on to.

Counties Limerick, Cavan, Cork and Carlow are particularly bad when it comes to these puppy farms. Even though there are puppy farms well known to authorities, they can continue for a number of years in spite of their convictions for animal-related issues. One, for example, still had a type 2 transporter licence to transport dogs abroad. There are county managers in breach of the law. They are being compelled into initiating enforcement procedures so they are not being proactive. There are councils that resist Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, involvement. The puppy farm at the centre of the TV programme had been passed by the county vet. A member of the family operating the puppy farm was stopped more than 20 times smuggling dogs, but the business continues. There is a puppy farm where the owner was legally obliged to tell the authorities that he was moving the dogs; he did not. I have seen inspection reports on these premises, several over a period of time before any improvements were made. There is no urgency on this.

Where there have been ample grounds for the council to take action, nothing has been done. For example, one dog breeder was using wooden crates for whelping bitches, which were totally unsuitable. The inspection notes show that the crates were seen several times before the local council did anything. Why are councils refusing to provide copies of the inspections they conduct? There are frequent breaches of the law. Failure to comply with the law should have resulted in closure, yet we have these flagrant breaches of the law.

Our pounds and shelters are overflowing and Ireland is overpopulated with dogs, yet we continue to license people to breed dogs with abandon, and it is the rescue community that picks up the pieces. There are many dogs from the puppy farms with very serious health problems. The more popular the breed, the more they are churned out by the breeders. One year it was cavalier King Charles spaniels; another year it was Yorkshire terriers; the latest are the Dalmations and the huskies, all very cute as pups, but they have much greater needs when they are older, and they are being brought to the pounds and the rescue centres afterwards.

The registration of puppy farms is not working. Puppies are being bred in appalling conditions which affect them physically and temperamentally, and huge sums of money are being made by the breeders, but the mess the breeders leave is left to the rescue groups.

There is little or no political will to deal with this. There is an attitude of, "Ah sure, they are only animals". It is totally unfair and unjust.

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