Jamie and Colin sign up to ban puppy farms
Hollywood actors and X Factor stars weigh in on Ireland’s ‘shameful’ trade
A host of international and Irish stars have called on the Irish Government to crack down on puppy farms and end ‘this trade in canine misery’.
Hollywood actors Colin Farrell, Jamie Dornan, X Factor stars sharon Osbourne, sinitta and louis Walsh, model Rosanna Davison, musician Jim Corr and activist Ali Hewson have all put their names to a strongly worded statement supporting calls by TDs for an end to puppy farming.
The statement reports that ‘tens of thousands’ of pups are bred in ‘cruel and inhumane conditions, on industrial-scale puppy farms’, before being sold to unsuspecting buyers, many in the UK.
‘Typically, puppy farm dogs are bred like battery farm animals,’ it adds. The statement added that all would-be dog-owners can ‘play a part’ by adopting from an animal rescue centre instead of buying from a puppy farm.
The statement followed calls by Independent TDs Maureen O’sullivan, Clare Daly and Tommy Broughan for a crackdown on puppy farms and greater enforcement of animal welfare law.
Eurovision singer linda Martin said she was delighted with the response so far. ‘Ireland is known through the world as the puppy farm capital of Europe,’ she said. Ms Martin voiced the hope that international criticism would bring pressure to bear on the Government to end this ‘shameful’ industry. ‘It’s appalling that we have to shame them into doing something,’ she said. she also pointed out that animal rescue services are ‘stretched to breaking point’. The Ispca has said the Government could end this problem tomorrow but ‘there is no political will’. The stars’ intervention coincided with Cavan County Council’s decision this week to grant retention planning permission for a puppy farm that was the subject of a BBC Panorama programme last May. Panorama filmed breeding bitches who had or were about to give birth confined in wooden crates on Ray Cullivan’s puppy farm at Poles. The puppy farm passed six council inspections despite repeated concerns expressed by the Ispca over the conditions.
Presenter sam Poling said she was ‘haunted’ by what she witnessed on Cullivan’s farm which is licensed by Cavan County Council for 300 breeding bitches. The wooden crates were withdrawn two days after the programme amid a huge public outcry.
On Wednesday, Cavan County Council granted Cullivan retention planning permission. The decision is being appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Objectors include 35 leading musicians, actors and TV personalities, six TDs and 60 rescue centres from Ireland and the UK.
They are seeking a public hearing and intend calling international environmental and animal welfare experts to the hearing.
‘They’re bred like battery farm animals’