Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prosecutions to date under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; the number of prosecutions that have been initiated for illegal puppy farming; the outcomes of same; and his future plans that will aim to bring about a change in societal attitude towards cruelty to animals and puppy farming in particular. [25939/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 is a legal instrument with wide application and potential use by a wide range of authorised officers in a wide variety of settings. Therefore local authorities, An Garda Síochána and my Department are empowered to take prosecutions in a summary manner. Over fifty prosecutions have been initiated under the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013, including those taken by my Department based on field inspections by Department Officers, authorised officers of the ISPCA and DSPCA and An Garda Síochána. Several prosecutions have been successfully completed and the remainder are at various stages in the court system.

While the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 remains a matter for the Minister for Environment and the Local Authorities, a joint inspection regime of Dog breeding Establishments, (“puppy farms”) involving both the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine and the Local Authority Veterinary Service had been inaugurated in recent weeks. The first joint inspection took place in Kilkenny on Friday 15th May.

These inspections of puppy farms by officers of my Department will result in prosecutions under the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 if the evidence supports the view that a prosecution is sustainable. In addition, where improvement in the facilities or management is identified, Animal Health & Welfare Notices are issued.

My intention is that all such registered establishments will be inspected this summer. In many cases, my officers have found that animals in these establishments are well cared for and given good opportunity for exercise and are well socialised. I am, however, keen to receive reports of any unofficial or unregistered premises where dog breeding is taking place in order to ensure that all such establishments comply fully with the provisions of the Act and relevant animal welfare legislation.