Second-hand hounds need forever homes, not dog’s abuse
One of the little birds flitting to and fro the food stations outside this country town cottage — alongside big bruiser ‘Mickey Rooks’ and ‘Russell Crows’ — tells me that our President is apparently planning to rescue a horse. Which is great news for one poor pony, while the publicity should highlight the plight of the many equines in need in this country, and welfare organisations such as My Lovely Horse Rescue that do all they can to help them.
Our President also recently acquired a new puppy — though not, to my knowledge, from among the thousands languishing in our pounds.
As a nation in general we still look down our nose at second-hand hounds — oblivious to the irony that we in turn are viewed with disdain on the global stage as a result of our reputation as the puppy farm capital of Europe where animal abuse is generally condoned.
Certainly, 9,103 abandoned or stray dogs entered the Irish pound system in 2019, of which 398 were destroyed. This is down 43pc on the previous year, but doesn’t include the many unwanted dogs that are sold or given away. Let alone the thousands of greyhounds that were also put down, found dead in ditches, or shipped to Pakistan and China to a fate worse than death.
But what really keeps the figures down is the fact that an increasing number of dogs are surrendered directly to the approximately 120 rescues countrywide, most of which receive little or no funding. They are forced to ship many of them to homes abroad, so they don’t end up in local authority pounds.
Contrary to popular belief, some Irish pounds are far from safe havens. The purpose of these privately run businesses is the collection and destruction of stray and unwanted dogs. As such, they are under no obligation to rehome or release them to rescues. Thankfully, the majority are proactive in sourcing homes. But a minority seem to be in it for the money, according to those who are at the coal face of animal welfare. These folk stage regular protests outside the most controversial pounds — which, they say, are little more than concentration camps for canines. Horror stories abound of dogs kept in hideous conditions, with no bedding, cold and soiled concrete, and little human contact. Dogs are sometimes left with no food or water all weekend, or worse, put down at holiday season so they don’t have to be tended to at all.
And who can blame an inexperienced animal lover if they are reluctant to take on an approximately 15-year costly commitment to a dog about which they know next to nothing, except that it is distressed and dirty? Some Irish pounds are ugly places, from the vile stench to the heartbreaking sound of stressed and scared dogs. Not exactly encouraging you to adopt one of their inmates.
Yet it doesn’t have to be like this. And you sometimes wonder what is the point of the EU if we cannot take on board the better ideas of other member states. In this case Germany, with its thousands of private animal shelters called “Tierheim” — which literally means “animal home” — where both volunteers and permanent staff look after the animals, along with vets and nurses.
Adoption rates exceed 90pc, despite stringent checks on potential owners. For these happy hounds already look and feel at home. They are able to move freely in and out of individual kennels that have transparent walls to keep this social species secure.
Introductory cards on the door give their name, medical history and reason for sheltering.
The annual maintenance cost of a Tierheim is raised through funding from the public and corporations, as well as bequests and donations. They do not receive money from the government, which means they do not have to consult with it when deciding policies for protecting the animals in their care.
And with so many canine-loving citizens, nor are they put out by those who pass them over for a pedigree.