Spay Week Ireland 2010

PRESS RELEASE
29 May, 2007

TV vet says it’s time to act on promise to regulate puppy farms

A leading campaigner has called on the incoming government to deliver on promises to regulate Ireland’s puppy farms without any further delay.

TV vet Pete Wedderburn of the National Stray Dog and Cat Forum said today (29/05/07) that it is now a full year since the outgoing Environment Minister Dick Roche had announced his intention to implement the recommendations of a working group appointed to look into the issue.

“Although the announcement was very welcome, we are still awaiting positive follow-up in the form of new regulations and firm action to prevent any further suffering of animals in unregulated breeding establishments,” Mr. Wedderburn said.

“Over recent times Ireland has earned an unenviable reputation as the puppy farm capital of Europe, which is very unfair and damaging to the country’s many reputable dog breeders,” he said.

“For this reason it is important that the incoming government should without any further delay deliver on the outgoing Minister’s promise by implementing the recommendations of the excellent report by the Working Group on the Review of the Management of Dog Breeding Establishments. This is long overdue and will at last create a legal foundation for eradicating the darker sides of the dog breeding industry.”

Mr. Wedderburn added that large-scale unregulated dog breeding in so-called “puppy farms” is directly connected to Ireland crisis of unwanted dogs, no fewer than 16, 546 of which were destroyed in the country’s local authority dog pounds in 2005.

Reducing this toll is the key focus of Spay Week Ireland 2007. This year taking place from May 27th to June 2nd, the campaign aims to tackle the country’s unwanted animal crisis by persuading more owners to spay or neuter their pets.

The National Stray Dog and Cat Forum

Spay Week Ireland 2007 is an initiative of The National Stray Dog and Cat Forum. This comprises representatives from Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society (VICAS), Irish Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), Irish Kennel Club (IKC), Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, plus 25 other local animal welfare and rescue organisations, and a number of County Councils.

Dogs Trust

Spay Week Ireland 2007 is supported by international dog-welfare charity Dogs Trust, which runs a nationwide subsidised neutering campaign that offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €14. For further information on participating vets and eligibility please call Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline 1890 946 336.

The Blue Cross

The Irish Blue Cross also operates a subsidised neutering scheme throughout the year with funding from the Department of the Environment. Working closely with the veterinary profession and local animal welfare groups, the Blue Cross provides treatment for thousands of needy animals each year.

Issued on behalf of Spay Week Ireland 2006 by CN Media.
For further information contact:

Jan van Embden, CN Media
Tel: 01-282 9853

27 May, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Spay Week Ireland 2007 highlights plight of helpless animals

There’s nothing quite so captivating as a cute kitten or puppy but the sad truth is that in Ireland far too many are abandoned as soon as they lose that cuddly appeal.

Unwanted dogs are typically left to roam the streets until they are picked up and taken to the local pound, where the odds are that they will be put down unless they are lucky enough to be found a new home.

But most are not so fortunate. Figures from the Department of the Environment show that at 16, 546, almost twice as many dogs were destroyed as rehomed in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available.

But even this fate is relatively humane compared the plight of the thousands of abandoned kittens and cats facing painful and drawn out deaths when left to fend for themselves.

From this Sunday May 27th, Spay Week Ireland 2007 will appeal for action to end the plight of the our unwanted animals by promoting the key message that it is time kill the problems, not the pets.

“Since we started Spay Week five years ago, the number of dogs destroyed in Ireland has gone down by about 20% but we still have a long way to go,” says television vet and Spay Week Ireland organiser Pete Wedderburn. “Animal destruction rates in Ireland remain at an appallingly high level. On a per capita basis, we destroy unwanted dogs at ten times the rate of our nearest neighbour in the UK.”

No similar figures exist for cats but using a formula devised by the University of Florida, the animal welfare group ANVIL estimates that every year, a staggering 180,000 kittens die within a week of birth.

“Pet owners need to be responsible and stop contributing to the crisis of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens in this country,” Pete Wedderburn says.

“Early spaying and neutering is also the healthy choice for pets. Research shows that early neutering dramatically reduces an animal’s chances of developing common cancers and other diseases. It keeps pets healthy, helps control the over-population of stray cats and prevents the needless destruction of perfectly healthy animals in pounds.”

Hundreds of vets, animal welfare volunteers and charities around the country are helping to promote the Spay Week message. The campaign is being supported by VICAS (Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society) and international dog-welfare charity Dogs Trust, which in co-operation with participating vets runs a nationwide subsidised neutering campaign that offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €14.

According to Dogs Trust Ireland Campaigns Manager Brenda Comerford, over 11,000 dogs have been spayed or neutered since introduction of the scheme in mid 2006.

“We are delighted with the high level uptake to date and we plan to build on this initial success. With 345 vets taking part, people can now avail of the scheme right around the country,” she says.

Across the country, many charities such as the ISPCA and DSPCA offer local discounted neutering schemes for those who are unable to afford normal veterinary fees. These include the Irish Blue Cross, which offers a low cost neutering scheme for pet owners in needy circumstances to have their cats or dogs spayed or neutered for one third of the normal cost.

“We have noticed a big increase in demand for cat neutering and spaying in the first few months of this year. We are very encouraged that more people than ever are being responsible, but there is still a long way to go,” says Manager Chris Conneely.

Separating Fact from Fiction

According to Spay Week Ireland organiser Pete Wedderburn, it’s important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to considering spaying or neutering your pet.

The Facts

• Ireland destroys dogs at a rate ten times higher than the UK. An average of 317 dogs were destroyed every week in Irish pounds in 2005, nearly all of them healthy.
• No official figures are available for the number of abandoned cats that die in Ireland but anecdotal evidence strongly suggests the figure is even higher.
• These numbers would be cut dramatically if more owners would spay or neuter their pets
• Spaying or neutering is good for your pet’s health. The risk of cancer plummets, they’re less likely to be aggressive and they live longer as a result.

The Fiction

• MYTH: Spayed or neutered pets get lazy and fat. FACT: Proper diet and exercise keeps them healthy and fit.
• MYTH: Female cats and dogs should have at least one litter. FACT: They are perfectly healthy and fulfilled without reproducing.

• MYTH: Neutering changes a pet’s personality FACT: Your pet will remain as loving as ever.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Spay Week Ireland: Visit: www.spayweekireland.ie

Dogs Trust Spay & Neuter scheme: Call Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline at 1890 946 336.

Blue Cross Spay & Neuter scheme: Tel: 01 – 416 3030 or visit www.bluecross.ie

Press Release Ends

Issued on behalf of Spay Week Ireland by CN Media~
For further press information
Contact Jan van Embden at CN Media Ltd.
Tel: 01 – 282 9853
Mobile: 087 681 6511

PRESS RELEASE For Release Wednesday 23/05/07

Newstalk presenter Claire breaks rules to highlight plight of helpless animals

Newstalk 106 presenter Claire Byrne shared the limelight with some furry friends today (23/05/07) to highlight the plight of thousands of unwanted cats and dogs that are destroyed in Ireland every year.

Claire exchanged her regular Breakfast Show co-host Ger Gilroy for some cute puppies and kittens at a photo call to mark the launch of Spay Week Ireland 2007, the annual nationwide awareness campaign that aims to end the appalling toll by encouraging more owners to spay or neuter their pets.

“There’s an old showbiz saying about never sharing scenes with children or animals, but that’s one rule I am happy to break if it helps to get across the message that we need to do more to end the destruction of these helpless animals,” she says.

Claire’s cuddly co-stars were saved by the ASH Animal Rescue Centre in West Wicklow, but most of Ireland’s abandoned animals are not so lucky. Figures published by the Department of the Environment show that 16,546 dogs were destroyed in local authority pounds in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available.

“Since we started Spay Week five years ago, the number of dogs destroyed in Ireland has gone down by about 20% but we still have a long way to go,” says television vet and Spay Week Ireland organiser Pete Wedderburn. “Animal destruction rates in Ireland remain at an appallingly high level. On a per capita basis, we destroy unwanted dogs at ten times the rate of our nearest neighbour in the UK.”

No similar figures exist for cats, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that Ireland’s feline destruction rate is even higher than its canine equivalent.

Hundreds of vets, animal welfare volunteers and charities around the country are helping to promote the Spay Week message. The campaign is being supported by VICAS (Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society) and international dog-welfare charity Dogs Trust, which in co-operation with participating vets runs a nationwide subsidised neutering campaign that offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €14.

According to Dogs Trust Ireland Campaigns Manager Brenda Comerford, over 11,000 dogs have been spayed or neutered since introduction of the scheme in mid 2006.

“We are delighted with the high level uptake to date and we plan to build on this initial success. With 345 vets taking part, people can now avail of the scheme right around the country,” she says.

Across the country, many charities such as the ISPCA and DSPCA offer local discounted neutering schemes for those who are unable to afford normal veterinary fees. These include the Irish Blue Cross, which offers a low cost neutering scheme for pet owners in needy circumstances to have their cats or dogs spayed or neutered for one third of the normal cost.

“We have noticed a big increase in demand for cat neutering and spaying in the first few months of this year. We are very encouraged that more people than ever are being responsible, but there is still a long way to go,” says Manager Chris Conneely.

Separating Fact from Fiction

According to Spay Week Ireland organiser Pete Wedderburn, it’s important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to considering spaying or neutering your pet.

The Facts

• Ireland destroys dogs at a rate ten times higher than the UK. An average of 317 dogs were destroyed every week in Irish pounds in 2005, nearly all of them healthy.
• No official figures are available for the number of abandoned cats that die in Ireland, but the animal welfare group ANVIL estimates that every year, a staggering 180,000 kittens die within a week of birth.
• These numbers would be cut dramatically if more owners would spay or neuter their pets
• Spaying or neutering is good for your pet’s health. The risk of cancer plummets, they’re less likely to be aggressive and they live longer as a result.

The Fiction

• MYTH: Spayed or neutered pets get lazy and fat. FACT: Proper diet and exercise keeps them healthy and fit.
• MYTH: Female cats and dogs should have at least one litter. FACT: They are perfectly healthy and fulfilled without reproducing.
• MYTH: Neutering changes a pet’s personality FACT: Your pet will remain as loving as ever.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Spay Week Ireland: Visit: www.spayweekireland.ie
Dogs Trust Spay & Neuter scheme: Call Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline at 1890 946 336.
Blue Cross Spay & Neuter scheme: Tel: 01 – 416 3030 or visit www.bluecross.ie

Press Release Ends

Issued on behalf of Spay Week Ireland by CN Media
For further press information
Contact Jan van Embden at CN Media Ltd.
Tel: 01 – 282 9853