Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, Senator Hackett. Today, Dogs Trust launched its Sold a Pup campaign, calling for the stringent enforcement of the law on the sale, supply and advertising of pets. It seems that every year as we approach Christmas, it has to fall to charities and welfare organisations to once again remind people to reconsider giving a dog as a Christmas present. While Christmas is the time that there is a stronger focus on the online sale of pets, that is not to say that the problem does not exist for the rest of the year. The illegal sale of dogs online continues all year around.

On 1 February 2020, the much-anticipated legislation came into force with the sale or supply of pets regulations. This legislation promised to improve transparency and traceability of sellers and breeders. It was hoped that these regulations would give puppy farmers nowhere to hide and that there would be greater transparency about licensed dog breeding establishments to assist those looking to purchase a dog. However, it seems that while the legislation is in place, there is little to no enforcement of it. Instead, the burden is placed on the buyer to try to buy responsibly. The sale of dogs is a highly profitable business and puppy farms and unscrupulous sellers go to enormous lengths to mislead the public. Moreover, the Covid-19 lockdown has made it much easier for them to conceal the origin of the dogs.

Research by Dogs Trust found that 68% of people were unable to spot an illegal advertisement and 72% were unaware of the legal requirements brought into force on 1 February.These regulations set out very clearly the requirements for the online sale of dogs.

The advert must include the registration number of the seller-supplier, the age of the animal and that it is no less than eight weeks old. It must also include the unique microchip of the dog and if the dog has come from a dog breeding establishment. The registration number as issued by the local authority must also be included.

These requirements are being flouted daily. On one sample day, there were 62 adverts on one online platform and only one of those adverts was in compliance. Dog welfare charities and activists are doing the job of the Department by monitoring the online sites for breaches. They have found sellers with multiple phone numbers and profiles across multiple platforms and jurisdictions. One piece of research found that from 4,776 seller profiles online, only 55 were listed as traders. One phone number alone was linked to 15 separate adverts during a three month period. The misuse of microchip numbers and false breeding licence numbers is also taking place regularly.

Does the Minister of State recognise the importance of this legislation in the fight against deplorable practices in the over-breeding of dogs in puppy farms? We know traceability is key and the lack of enforcement of the regulations ensures that non-compliance puppy farmers have a ready made accessible channel to sell to unsuspecting customers.

What efforts have been made by the Department to raise awareness of the new rules that came into effect? How many sellers have registered with the Department since their introduction? Has the Department engaged with the online platforms to ensure compliance? What resources has the Department dedicated to the enforcement of the rules? Could the Minister of State outline if any infringement procedures have taken place since their introduction?

Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, apologises for not being here in person to take this question. The safety and welfare of pet animals was one of the concerns behind the introduction by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of regulations on the sale and supply of pet animals last year, and which came into effect in February. These regulations were welcomed by the ISPCA and other welfare organisations, and put into law certain requirements for sellers and suppliers of pet animals, including minimum ages for sale of certain mammals, record-keeping, registration with the Department, and provision of certain information about the pet in advertisements.

Under the regulations, anyone who sells or supplies six or more pet animals in a calendar year must register with the Department, unless subject to the requirement to register with their local authority under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Anyone advertising a pet animal for sale or supply must not, without reasonable excuse, publish or display, or cause to be published, the advertisement if it does not include certain information. This includes the microchip number in the case of an advertisement for a dog.

While there is further work to be done on effective enforcement of the regulations, the requirement to include certain information about a pet animal in an advertisement is a significant measure that will assist potential pet owners in deciding the appropriate seller with which to engage. Potential pet owners should carefully do comprehensive research before acquiring a pet. The promotion of pet ownership is a programme for Government commitment, and this should extend to how a pet is acquired in the first place.

The Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group, IPAAG, which includes a number of welfare organisations and a representative of the Department, has published practical, comprehensive advice on its website for anyone thinking of acquiring a pet, including what to check for in advertisements for pet animals. I wish to acknowledge the IPAAG’s contribution to promoting the responsible advertising of pet animals. The sale and purchase of a pet is a commercial transaction between a seller and a buyer.

The owner or person in charge of any animal is responsible for its health and welfare. Any evidence of animal cruelty or neglect of an animal’s welfare should be brought to the attention of the Department. All such reports are followed up on and the information is treated in confidence. The Government is committed to advancing animal welfare. In December 2019 the Department provided record funding awards of €2,906,000 to 106 animal welfare organisations in recognition of their good work. The Minister expects to announce a further series of ex gratiapayments to these organisations in the coming weeks.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State. We all agree the regulations in place are welcome, but the problem is the lack of enforcement. Perhaps the Department could follow up in writing regarding whether there have been any infringements since the regulations were put in place and what resources have been provided by the Department to ensure compliance. It is important that anybody who is considering purchasing a pet, as opposed to adopting or rescuing one, does his or her homework. Research carried out by Dogs Trust is very worrying. It found that 83% of people are unaware that there can be hundreds of breeding bitches in dog breeding establishments, that each bitch can have six litters and that there is only a requirement for one staff member for every 25 breeding females.

It is critical to have a database and that the advertisements are verified. The information must be verifiable. We know false information is being put up daily with regard to the microchips and the dog breeding establishment licences. I ask the Minister to answer the questions I have asked in writing. Would she give a commitment that the Minister will consider the establishment of a national, centrally-controlled database where all that information can be collated? It would make it far easier to verify whether one's dog is coming from a dog breeding establishment, whether it is a third-party seller and that the microchip is verifiable and not from an animal that has already died or been sold elsewhere.

Pippa Hackett (Green Party)
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Ultimately, responsibility lies not only with the people selling the pets to provide the information required, as was indicated by the Senator, but also on the publishers of the advertisements. They are required to ensure that people display the information. Unfortunately, they do not have access to the source of the information, so it is difficult for them to verify that. The enforcement of the regulations is particularly difficult with regard to the issues highlighted by the Senator in terms of false microchip numbers, fake details and so forth, but it is something I will request the Department to undertake with due vigour. Again, there is a dedicated helpline to report any incidents and if anyone suspects somebody is selling pets illegitimately, he or she should call the number or email animal welfare at agriculture.gov.ie.

From a personal perspective, I urge anybody thinking of getting a pet cat, dog, rabbit or whatever this year to consider rehoming first from the many reputable animal welfare organisations across the country. I and my family have found this to be very fulfilling and it is something I am confident my children will continue to do throughout their lives.