Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Minister of State but I am disappointed that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is not here to take this Commencement matter, particularly given that her constituency contains many dog breeding establishments. I look forward to hearing the official response because for too long, Ireland has had the unfortunate title of being the puppy farm capital of Europe.Government after Government has failed to get to grips with the situation and the dog-breeding establishment, DBE, guidelines are just that - guidelines. Even if they were followed to the letter, which they are not, it would be perfectly reasonable in the eyes of this Government that a DBE keep hundreds of breeding bitches and have one staff member looking after 25 breeding bitches and all of their pups.

The use of automation, the industrial nature of puppy farms and the lack of human interaction are resulting in poorly-socialised dogs with a range of behavioural issues. The fallout from this is becoming very clear in recent months as pounds are dealing with the Covid-regret puppies. During the lockdowns, many people rushed into buying a puppy for the family without fully understanding the commitment that a dog is. Puppy farms subsequently ramped up supply and churned out puppies to meet the insatiable demand. They gave no thought to the misery they were inflicting on the breeding mothers or the welfare of the resulting pups.

Unfortunately, the chickens are now coming home to roost. Some people are returning to work unable to look after the poor dogs, and others are dealing with young dogs that are manifesting a wide range of behavioural issues, many of which are due to the fact that they were born on these puppy farms. PetBond vet, Dr. Tim Kirby, has rightly called such farms a chain of misery and said that mothers are stressed, overbred and pass on their fear and anxiety to their young.

Dogs Trust has seen a considerable increase in the number of dogs being surrendered and an overwhelming list from local authority pounds seeking shelter space with it. In addition to the Covid-regret pups, those dealing in the sale of dogs are now faced with pups they cannot sell and an oversupply of breeding bitches. Dogs Trust has had 54 pups in the past three weeks alone, 15 of which were crossbreeds taken in from the local pound with no mother to be found.

To compound matters, the housing and cost-of-living crisis is impacting on the number of dogs being surrendered and abandoned. Families with notices to quit or whose landlords will not allow pets are now having to surrender their much-loved pets, which is devastating and denies children the joy and life skills that pet ownership brings, which includes empathy.

When I visited the new Dublin county pound, I was told that up to 30% of surrenders are now down to housing issues and an increasing number of dogs are being abandoned or surrendered because they are old and have health issues. Poor Lenny, a Shih Tzu, was left in a crate under a bridge recently. Sam, an old cairn terrier, was found wandering along a busy road blind and covered in mange. Maggie, the lurcher from Carlow-Kilkenny pound, was dehydrated and had acid burns, an untreated broken toe and a large growth on her hind leg. There is no excuse for any of this and those responsible should be held accountable. However, all of the shelters and pounds are saying the exact same thing: the phone will not stop ringing. There is a tsunami of unwanted dogs.

What work is happening in the Department of Rural and Community Development to ensure that the local authority dog pounds are equipped for this situation? What does the Minister plan to do in the long term to end the scourge of puppy farms and industrial dog breeding? Cavan-Monaghan is home to some of the largest DBEs but the Minister of State's constituency of Wexford also has a large number of them.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, I thank Senator Boylan for affording me the opportunity to speak on this very important matter. I understand there has been some concern about this issue.

The Department of Rural and Community Development has policy responsibility for dog control and dog-breeding establishments, while the local authorities are responsible for all operational activities. These responsibilities include the dog-licensing and dog-warden service and the management and operation of the local authority pounds or shelters. The Department of Rural and Community Development has no involvement in these operational activities.

With regard to the provision of pounds and shelters, section 15(2) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements with any person for the provision and maintenance of dog pounds or shelters. The Act also provides for such persons or organisations to carry out the functions of the local authority under the Act with regard to the acceptance, detention, disposal and destruction of stray or unwanted dogs.

Section 15(3) of the 1986 Act empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements with any other local authority, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, or a person connected with animal welfare, for the exercise of all or any of its functions, other than its functions under sections 17 or 30 of the Act. The procurement of any service related to local authority pounds is therefore a matter for each local authority and the management and operation of such pounds or shelters are matters solely for the relevant local authority. Similarly, the enforcement of welfare standards for all animals, including the welfare of dogs in pounds or shelters, is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and one in which the Minister's Department has no direct role.

The Department of Rural and Community Development publishes annual statistics on local authority dog-related activities including statistics on local authority pounds and stray and unwanted dogs and makes them available at gov.ie. The 2021 dog-control statistics, made up of returns from all local authorities, indicate that there are 34 local authority dog shelters or pounds. I am pleased to note that the number of stray, seized and unwanted dogs entering local authority pounds is decreasing year on year. The figures are down from more than 26,000 in 2002 to 4,270 in 2021. This figure was 5,310 in 2020; 9,162 in 2019; 9,961 in 2018; and 11,774 in 2017.

Similarly, the total number of dogs euthanised in local authority pounds has reduced dramatically in recent years. In 2021, 168 dogs were euthanised in local authority pounds which was down from 172 in 2020 and 1,674 in 2016. This continues the year-on-year annual trend in the decline in the number of dogs euthanised which is down from just over 215,000 in 2002.

These figures show the tremendous work being done by the local authority dog warden and pound service in the re-homing of dogs and their active engagement with dog welfare groups and charities. Some 1,077 dogs were re-homed directly by local authority pounds and 1,934 were transferred to dog welfare groups for re-homing in 2021. In 2020, 1,341 dogs were re-homed directly and 2,545 were transferred to dog welfare groups.

These statistics also demonstrate the success of the neutering and microchipping programmes operated by animal welfare charities. These programmes operated by some animal welfare charities, with some limited support from the Minister's Department, have successfully reduced the number of unwanted litters of puppies. Ongoing microchipping has also facilitated the reunification of 1,064 dogs with their owners in 2021 and of 1,286 in 2020 and 1,924 in 2019.

Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State has just summed up the problem in his response in that it is scattered all over multiple Departments. The Department of Rural and Community Development has the responsibility for the Control of Dogs Act but, once the dog is seized or surrendered, it is the local authority's problem and we had the same issue when the Minister of State's Department officials came before the committee. They have taken their eye off the ball.

The reduction in the number of dogs euthanised is due to dogs going to animal welfare organisations. Dogs Trust alone has seen an increase of up to 2,100 dogs compared with 1,600 last year. One database has shown a 46% increase in dogs microchipped in the past 12 months and many of those presenting at the pounds are not even microchipped. We are back where we were ten years ago and face a tsunami of unwanted dogs. It just shows why the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine called for all of the animal welfare issues to be brought into one Department. They are scattered all over the place and nobody is focused on the tsunami of dogs that are coming down the line.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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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.