DSPCA encourages people to report abandoned animals

Vivienne Clarke

One of Ireland's leading animal protection charities has called on the public to report any incidents where they see animals being abandoned.

Gillian Bird, head of education and media at the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland the existing legislation was robust, but she wanted to see more people reporting incidents they witnessed. If possible they should get a car registration number, she said.

"People were abandoning unwanted pets for a variety of reasons, but they were doing so in areas that were unsafe for the animals. If people were going to abandon animals they should do it in a place where they could be found, but really they should not abandon them at all.

"The reasons for the abandonment of animals could be seasonal, post-Covid, the increase in the cost of living or a move to new accommodation that did not allow animals", she explained.

It appeared that people were not prepared to ask for help from organisations like the DSPCA, she said. “If there is an urgent case we will help them.”

However, the DSPCA, like many similar organisations, was at capacity, so it could take a while before they could take in an animal. “We ask the public to be patient.”