James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully understand the Senator's concerns with regard to local authorities having sufficient capacity to deal with the number of stray and surrendered dogs and while the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her Department are not aware of any capacity issues in local authority dog pounds or shelters, I ask the Senator to make any such information available to them.

Every January, after Christmas, we are all saddened to hear of and read media articles about numerous dogs being abandoned at local authority shelters and with animal welfare charities. I ask members of the public to do their research if they plan to buy a dog this Christmas. A dog is for life and owning one comes with many responsibilities. Dogs are lovable creatures which can bring great joy and provide many physical and mental health benefits to a family or household.

However, I ask that people consider their lifestyles. A dog needs to be licensed, microchipped and exercised on a daily basis. They need appropriate food, nutrition and veterinary care. This can be quite time-consuming and expensive. If, after considering all possible issues, member of the public wish to add a dog to their household, I ask that they consider their local authority dog shelter and-or local animal welfare shelter. These shelters have numerous dogs available for loving homes and families.

As we approach Christmas, the Minister and her Department will once again support any media campaigns regarding responsible dog ownership as they have done in previous years.