Six animal welfare groups receive cash
SIX Wexford animal welfare organisations benefited to the tune of €89,000 last week.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced total funding of €2,560,000 to 111 animal welfare organisations throughout the country involved in protecting animal welfare.
In Wexford the largest award went to Wexford SCPA, Distillery Road, Wexford town who received €43,000. North Wexford SPCA in Gorey received €21,000 while the Seal Rescue Ireland in Courtown Harbour received €12,000.
Chippers Sanctuary in Gorey received €6,000 while Homes for Unwanted Greyhounds in White Mountain, Ballindoney, Enniscorthy received €4,000. The final award went to the Sunset Appeal, St Martin’s Park, Ballycullane who received €3,000.
Making the announcement Minister Creed said: ‘ These bodies provide a great service to the community in their work in safeguarding animals. Many of the recipients provide facilities for neglected animals that sadly in a large number of instances have been abandoned by irresponsible owners and the increased funding being awarded is evidence of my Department’s on-going commitment in protecting animal welfare and a recognition of the important role played by the many organisations throughout the country in safeguarding animals particularly pet and companion animals.’
He also said he was ‘greatly concerned with continuing incidences of sheep being terrorised and killed by roaming dogs and the message needs to get out to all dog owners in both urban and rural areas on the importance of knowing the whereabouts of your dog.’ JANUARY is my least favourite month of the year. It is also my birth month which, let’s be honest is probably the crappiest month to be born in.
Most of the time people forget your birthday, ( I can feel my family rolling their eyes as I write. This is not the first time they’ve heard this!) and if they don’t forget, they give you rubbish presents wrapped in Christmas paper because they can’t be bothered or afford to get you anything decent.
It just feels very unfair to be born in a month which is full of anti-climax and post festive blues.
No one, and I mean not even your closest, bestest friends want to celebrate with you. It’s all, “Oh we must do something in February.” Feck that! My birthday is in January. I want to party now!
I should have been a June or July baby, born into sunshine and smiles, barbeques and evening drinks in the garden. Instead I’m hard pushed to find someone who’s not doing Dry January to share a bottle of vino with.
And then there’s the New Year’s Resolutions. Oh God how I hate New Year’s Resolutions! All that well-intentioned smugness about giving up fags and losing weight – New Year New
Me. Give me a bucket! If you want to lose weight then just bloody watch what you eat. (I feel a bit hypocritical saying this as
I shove a whole camembert in the oven just for me!).
If you want to give up fags then do it – you don’t have to wait till January to ditch the weed. Same goes for getting fit, not drinking or any other tedious resolutions people come up with. You can do this any time of the year, once you put your mind to it.
It’s not about giving up, self deprivation and doing without. That doesn’t work.
Trust me, I’ve tried it all and failed miserably.
It’s about modifications. Maybe eat a little less, drink a little less, smoke a little less and exercise a little more.
There will be no grand announcements from me declaring sobriety and membership of slimming world this January. Although I did catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror over Christmas wearing a sequinned skirt and thought I looked like a glitterball!
My aim is to live in the moment and enjoy each day as it comes. As cliched as it sounds, life really is too short for abstinence and detox. A little less over indulgence, a little more kindness and we’ll all be doing perfectly fine.
In the meantime I’m going to lie on the couch for a few hours more, eating baked camembert and crusty bread, watching Netflix and thanking my lucky stars that I’m still here to moan and complain. If anyone wishes to join me at any time during my birthday month feel free.
Just bring wine!
ALL THAT WELLINTENTIONED SMUGNESS ABOUT GIVING UP FAGS AND LOSING WEIGHT – NEW YEAR NEW ME. GIVE ME A BUCKET!