Spending by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) this year is already €500,000 over budget due to paying for private kennel shelter for abandoned dogs.
The society said the scale of the problem is dwarfing the resources gained by the organisation’s National Emergency Appeal and it warned that further funds are needed to help save vulnerable animals as a crisis continues.
The ISPCA said the “alarming rise” in cases of abandonment and cruelty following the Covid-19 pandemic had forced it to rent additional animal shelters for dogs in urgent need.
Among the success stories emerging from the appeal is the case of a Corgi named Cáilín, adopted by Kaydi O’Neill, a student at University College Dublin (UCD).
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The dog was rescued from an illegal puppy farm, where she suffered neglect and mistreatment, and has since seen her life take a turn for the better through the collective efforts of the ISPCA and individuals such as Ms O’Neill.
“When I first saw Cáilín, her spirit was broken,” Ms O’Neill said. “However, as she settled into her new home, her resilience shone through. It’s a testament to the power of compassion and second chances. I’m grateful to the ISPCA for their unyielding dedication to animals like Cáilín.”
Since the campaign opened in June of this year, 115 dogs have been rehomed to caring families by the ISPCA.
It said the emergency appeal continues to provide a lifeline for animals facing the most challenging circumstances, with every donation contributing to the provision of shelter, medical care and hope for dogs like Cáilín.
ISPCA chief executive Cyril Sullivan told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that 700 dogs have been abandoned to date this year, the total seen for all of last year. The number of dogs being abandoned is unprecedented, he said, adding that “we’re in the middle of a national animal welfare crisis”.
“Effectively, there’s been a doubling of the demand on our services. So it’s a very serious situation for us. We find it quite staggering,” he said. “And, you know, we also have other animals to take care of – horses and cats and others that we have to rescue. So we find this an unprecedented position to be in.”
Some of the treatment of animals being encountered by the ISPCA was just horrific, he said, calling for “very serious sanctions” to be used in such cases.
“We have obviously the issue around a Covid puppy boom and other issues that contributed to that type of behaviour,” he said. “It’s totally outrageous and inhumane and deserves the full punishment of the law and the animal welfare legislation provides for the possibility of a fine and five years in jail. I would hope that the full rigours of the law would be applied.”
In the short to medium term, the ISPCA is paying private shelters to care for animals as part of their policy to leave no animal behind, said Mr Sullivan, which had led to their budget overspend.
Extra veterinary services will also be provided for the additional dogs in care. However, the current situation was unsustainable, he warned, which was why the appeal was being relaunched.
Donations can be made through the ISPCA website
