Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My Department has overall responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010. Statistics for dog related activities undertaken by local authorities are published on the Department's website. They include information on dog breeding establishments which are defined in legislation as premises with "6 or more bitches, over 6 months old and capable of being used for breeding purposes".

The statistics show that the total number of dog breeding establishments registered for all counties was 248 in 2016 and 258 in 2017. The total number of inspections was 250 in 2016 and 275 in 2017. There were 79 commercial dog breeding establishments in 2016 and 74 in 2017. The remainder were hunt clubs, boarding kennels and animal welfare shelters. Details, by county, are available on my Department's website and will be provided for the Deputy separately. The 2018 statistics will be collated and published in early 2019.

Local authorities are responsible for operational activities, including enforcement. Where appropriate, they may issue improvement or closure notices, or work with the owners of premises to ensure compliance. In that context, they also work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as the enforcement of animal welfare standards for all animals, including dogs, is a matter for that Department.

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