Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

A Dog's Life volunteer Beth Hewson with stray dog Inga at Dunboyne Pound A Dog's LIfe

Rescue charity concerned about change of dog pound

A Dog’s Life has said it will not be able to provide the same service to the new pound, and fears more dogs will be put down.

A DOG RESCUE charity has expressed concern about a change to the pound system in Dublin.

A Dog’s Life said that South Dublin County Council (SDCC) is no longer to send strays and unwanted animals to Dunboyne Pound, but will soon be sending them to Ashton Pound.

The group said it was worried the new pound facility could “struggle to cope” and that A Dog’s Life does not have an agreement with Ashton Pound, unlike Dunboyne Pound. The charity rehomed 70 per cent of dogs given to Dunboyne Pound.

Martina Roche from A Dog’s Life said they “simply can’t see how Ashton will be able to deal with an additional 1,200 dogs annually”. She explained that A Dog’s Life has built up a core base of dedicated volunteers who can transport animals from Dunboyne Pound to new homes.

Ashton Pound is located around 40 minutes away from Dunboyne, which means that A Dog’s Life would struggle to provide the same service. “We don’t have the same level of volunteers in the Ashtown area. We were already overstretched – it is just a step too far,” said Roche.

She said the decision will put more pressure on the pound and that A Dog’s Life had only been informed of the change very recently.

We are very upset that it has come to this after working extremely successfully with one of the largest pounds in the country for more than seven years and building very good relationships with both pound staff and the dog wardens.

Council response

In response, SDCC said that as part of public procurement process, along with Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council it jointly advertised for the provision of a dog pound service in March 2013.

Following assessment of the tender submissions, which included inspections by veterinary inspectors to confirm the adequacy of the facilities from a welfare perspective, the Local Authorities were satisfied that Ashton Dog Pound, Ashtown was best placed to provide the service and the contract has been awarded accordingly.

The contract will come into effect from the 1 August 2013.

SDCC said that it “is important to note that South Dublin County Council’s policy with regard to re-homing and animal welfare will not change”. There will be regular inspections and monitoring of the facility by veterinary staff and ongoing review meetings with the contractor.

Ashton pound currently deal with a number of rehoming and animal welfare groups including the following Dogs Trust, Heathlands, Dundalk Dogs, DSPCA, Stokenchurch, Cara Rescue, Labrador Rescue UK.

The council said it has made arrangements to ensure that A Dog’s Life will be also be included in the list should they wish to be.

Read: Puppy Fund for rescued dogs raises over €7,000 in three days>

Read: Pound denies plan to put animals to rest>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
42 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall H
    Favourite Niall H
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:34 PM

    People stop buying designer puppies….go to your local pound and rescue a dog instead!!

    477
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McMahon
    Favourite Stephen McMahon
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:43 PM

    Designer puppies need love too.

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall H
    Favourite Niall H
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:50 PM

    @Stephen If the demand for them drops then the breeding, cruelty, illegal puppy farms and stealing of dogs also stops. Dogs are not a fashion accessory!!

    227
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McMahon
    Favourite Stephen McMahon
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:06 PM

    It was a flippant comment but regardless of how they are born a dog is a dog. I hate puppy farms and have only ever had stray/rescue dogs myself.

    124
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sarah Prendergast
    Favourite Sarah Prendergast
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:41 PM

    There are so many abandoned dogs out there who will make amazing additions to the family who just want a home.
    People should research how much work, money, time etc. goes into having a pet and providing them with a good life before they get a dog.

    If they treat them right they will be rewarded with a very loyal companion.

    171
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall H
    Favourite Niall H
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:44 PM

    Spot on Sarah! We adopted a dog a couple of years ago. She’s was days away from being put down. Couldn’t imagine life without her now. Part of the family!

    160
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute @Turflife
    Favourite @Turflife
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:48 PM

    Become a foster owner until these dogs can be rehomed, that’s what we do and we love it!

    139
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Linda Hegarty
    Favourite Linda Hegarty
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:07 PM

    I went to Dunboyne Pound last Thursday and again today to rehome a dog, no owners had come forward. I’m thrilled to say that at 2pm tomorrow I will be collecting him to bring him home. The staff in Dunboyne are wonderful and so professional, it was a pleasure dealing with them. Thank you all.

    164
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute gastrophase
    Favourite gastrophase
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 12:09 AM

    Yes, the change to Ashton is a shame. They have no larger charities working with them and will become overcrowded in no time, dogs will be killed the moment their time is up (Dunboyne staff were keeping them until they could be collected by rescues) that is 5 days for strays and only 1 day for surrenders. Ashton is already killing 20% of its dogs as opposed to Dunboyne’s 5%. Please email SDCC councillors, radio shows, TV…

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Kelly
    Favourite John Kelly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:50 PM

    The veterinary inspectors do checks on the pounds…….that’s a joke. The councils do not care about the poor dogs, it is only because of organisations like Dogs Life, Dogs Trust, Dogs Aid ect that the dogs are saved. We are now talking about 3 big council areas being operated from the one pound, are they really serious, can you imagine what the destruction figures are going to be like.

    96
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt Connolly
    Favourite Matt Connolly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:56 PM

    Agreed, I often bring home strays – have always managed to find the owners. One in particular – a red setter, I kept for a week with no joy. Dog warden came to collect him. 2 days later I got a call from the owner (dog had wandered quite a bit) – told her where he was. She HAD been onto the pound the previous day & was told there were no setters! I have my own bad minded theory, but was told by an employee at a pound they sometimes have difficulty keeping track of all the dogs. Imagine how much worse this will be.

    73
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mags Louth
    Favourite Mags Louth
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:18 PM

    Some of these pounds is making a huge amount of money exporting these dogs abroad. Some of the pounds are not the caring centres you might think they are, some are in it for the profit. Charging €180 to adopt a dog is very expensive. It can be cheaper in most cases to buy a pup. If the prices of adoption was taken down then more people would look at this option.

    31
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mags Louth
    Favourite Mags Louth
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:23 PM

    @Matt. You may be very correct. It is very seldom you full bred dogs on the pounds websites. As you will read in my post below, some are not advertised and are sent abroad for huge money.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Katie Grant
    Favourite Katie Grant
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:53 PM

    Poor dogs, if people can’t look after a dog, don’t get one in the first place. Every day I hear of more stories of poor dogs being dumped at rescue centres, and in woods, and dumped miles from their home, so they can’t find their way back, it’s so sad… The council should be doing more to get these dogs into rescue centres rather than into pounds

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt Connolly
    Favourite Matt Connolly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:01 PM

    & hopefully mandatory chipping will lead to animal cruelty convictions for those abandoning dogs.

    95
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leah Burgess
    Favourite Leah Burgess
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:40 PM

    Increasing the licence fee, chipping, mandatory neutering else a licence for breeding, make it harder for people to get a dog may be the answer. Also increase fines for fouling and letting dogs roam free bring in a points system, 3 strikes and dog taken from you. People getting them for a present or just for the hell of it might think twice. May sound harsh but there are too many dogs to be cared for.

    45
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Margaret Deacon
    Favourite Margaret Deacon
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 12:12 AM

    Hopefully the chip will see stolen and abandoned dogs get home to their owners

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute emma fitz
    Favourite emma fitz
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:28 PM

    I got my beloved dog from Dogs in Distress who take them from Ashton Pound, apparently that’s were most dogs end up on the green mile so to speak. The work these charities do is amazing, it’s an endless cycle of abandoned dogs. Have to say, although I’m biased, my dog is the absolute best. I love him to bits!!

    69
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karla Mitchell
    Favourite Karla Mitchell
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:39 PM

    This a crazy decision!! Ashton is already overcrowded and the main reason any dog is put to sleep in a pound in Ireland is because the pound is full an needs to make room for more dogs coming in. A Dogs Life have saved the lives of thousands who would no doubt, have been P.T.S. without their intervention.
    Am shocked and saddened at this latest money saving/making debacle, the only ones to suffer will be the woofers

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Kelly
    Favourite John Kelly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:35 PM

    Well said Karla

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Brady
    Favourite Anthony Brady
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:11 PM

    I live in ashtown and would be interested in volunteering if anyone could point me in the right direction?

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Ryan
    Favourite Cormac Ryan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:41 PM

    People can adopt straight from the pound. I’m sure dunboyne will still have dogs available to adopt

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt Connolly
    Favourite Matt Connolly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:50 PM

    Dogs in Distress seem to have an agreement with Ashton Pound. They rescued our guy from there 6 years ago. We HAD seen him in the pound on the Friday of the June bank holiday weekend & was scheduled for destruction on the Monday, when we tried going back to adopt, they were locked up & we couldn’t get in (the sunday and monday). Lo & behold, when we made contact with dogs in distress a week later, there he was!

    anyway, my point is, perhaps both charities should sit down & pool resources.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martina Roche
    Favourite Martina Roche
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:10 PM

    Matt Dogs in Distress haven’t taken dogs from Ashton for a couple of years. They now take the Meath pound dogs.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt Connolly
    Favourite Matt Connolly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:55 PM

    pity

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Henry
    Favourite Michael Henry
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 8:44 PM

    dogs pound will need more euro’s-

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Heather Knowles
    Favourite Heather Knowles
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 11:17 PM

    This is terrible… Animal welfare in this country is appalling. Ashtown is going to be destroying more dogs because of this. 5 days is too few to begin with and over crowding will just make things worse. The fact that 70% of dogs in Dunboyne were rehomed by A Dogs Life shows that something was working well on both sides. How can it make sense to change this? Just shows how it’s not the dogs best interest at stake.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Elizabeth Walsh
    Favourite Elizabeth Walsh
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:10 PM

    Can’t see how the come up with 40 minutes from dunboyne to the Ashton pound. At most its 20 . Surely if the volunteers are true to their cause they would be willing to take a short drive to save the poor wee doggies.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Matt Connolly
    Favourite Matt Connolly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:17 PM

    maybe there’s an underlying issue with regard to how the Dunboyne contractors operate and how the ashton contractors operate.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martina Roche
    Favourite Martina Roche
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:11 PM

    Elizabeth in is 40 mins from their resource base in North Kildare to Ashton and only 10 mins to Dunboyne.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute B9xiRspG
    Favourite B9xiRspG
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 1:00 AM

    We took in a three week old puppy recently which was left at the side of the road. Some people aren’t fit to for shi….

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ninfa Chacón Bendeck
    Favourite Ninfa Chacón Bendeck
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 11:25 PM

    According to the article: SDCC said that it “is important to note that South Dublin County Council’s policy with regard to re-homing and animal welfare will not change”

    Dunboyne rehomes restricted breeds to the public, Ashton does not. Dunboyne does not kill them when their time is up and there is no one to adopt or rescue them, they give them time wait until the rescue can take them. So is the Council saying that this will be the case?

    The rehoming and reclaiming fees are much cheaper in Dunboyne than Ashton. Is the Council saying they will maintain the fees in Dunboyne?

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Barry O'Keeffe
    Favourite Barry O'Keeffe
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:48 PM

    Are these pounds putting dogs down for financial gain from the council?
    Are the lives of some dogs subsidising others!
    I know they are providing a service but this 5 day rule (I’ve heard about) b4 being put down seem a bit premature. Unless there is a financial motivator!

    On another note People who buy designer dogs often buy them to suit their lifestyle! We bought a bulldog cause they are the “lazy mans dog” and I’m a lazy man! There are very low energy and are happy to sleep 20 hours a day and play for 15 mins until he’s exhausted! My life provides him with the optimum care and situation for him to flourish! Bulldogs arent a healthy animal In general but shouldn’t be left to extinction!

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Sheridan
    Favourite James Sheridan
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 12:32 AM

    We got our tarrier from dunboyne a couple of months ago , the staff there were fantastic , typical county council decision , find something that works and break it …. Unfortunately it’s the poor animals that will suffer as a result

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Debi-Nikita Rathbone-Rentzke
    Favourite Debi-Nikita Rathbone-Rentzke
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 1:22 AM

    We are hoping to adopt two dogs in September this year.. As our two furkids died of old age (14) years. In April and May.
    Hope that we are able to, as sometimes the animal shelters won’t allow people to adopt pets if they are renting. Going to have to get a letter from our Landlord. Hope it won’t prove difficult!

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Elizabeth Walsh
    Favourite Elizabeth Walsh
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 9:13 PM

    Can’t see how the come up with 40 minutes from dunboyne to Ashton pound. At most its 20.
    Would the volunteers not be willing to drive a little bit more to save the poor wee doggies.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Kelly
    Favourite John Kelly
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:34 PM

    It’s not about distance, my question is where are they going to kennel the amount of dogs that end up in the pound if they are covering 3 council areas. Remember under the control of dogs act the dogs are only kept for 5 days.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Brady
    Favourite Conor Brady
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 7:42 AM

    Elizabeth it’s easy to ignore the fact that these are volunteers with families, jobs, lives, outside the wonderful rescue work they do. It might be only an extra 30 mins to you but to them it could be an extra 30 mins every day, extra fuel, etc. Maybe if you decide to volunteer to help them it’ll help mitigate the extra workload.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Madra Rua
    Favourite Madra Rua
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 1:53 PM

    Pounds are not rescue centres – there is no animal welfare remit in the pounds – their job is to take in stray and unwanted dogs – for 5 days – that’s the law. This current problem has resulted because south Dublin county council has made a commercial decision to move to ashton pound with no reference to the outcome for the dogs future. It’s irrelevant how the dogs have come to be in the pound – it’s what going to happen to them now is the issue here. SDCC have completely ignored the work done by A Dog’s Life for the past seven years. They have further ignored the concerns relayed to them by the group who cannot logistically work from Ashton pound – whether you believe it’s 20 minutes or not. (It sometimes takes 20 minutes to get off river road onto the M50) Mags louth, pounds don’t send dogs directly to the UK – they work through rescues – if you worked with rescues who would understand that there is no money involved – every volunteer for A Dogs Life gives of their time and money year in year out so that these dogs can have a future. In one stroke SDCC has taken that future away, their nonsense about the rehoming policy being the same is ridiculous – rescues rehome dogs – not “policies” Such statements show a clear lack of understanding of the hard work this rescue does.Please get writing to the media and SDCC about this ill considered decision, pounds are paid for with taxpayers money – they need to run a service that includes animal welfare. Killing these dogs for the convenience of the council is not acceptable – and that’s what’s about to happen.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irish Red
    Favourite Irish Red
    Report
    Jul 29th 2013, 10:03 PM

    Would it not be an idea for these smaller dogs rescue centres to amalgamate and therefore increase their reach and resources? They would be able to ‘service’ pounds nationwide and possibly have a more streamlined transportation service too. I know that people who have set them up have done so with blood, sweat and tears, and i realise there may be policy differences but for the greater good, surely it would be worth considering? I’ve seen how Dog’s Trust is run and I was very impressed (although I admit its not perfect) perhaps these organisations could use that sort of model & funding system to keep them above water and continue their very important job.
    Just a thought…

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute gastrophase
    Favourite gastrophase
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 12:04 AM

    Most smaller charities are volunteer run, no salaries drawn, no premises, home fosterers etc. All donations are spent on dogs directly. If they amalgamate, hire staff, rent buildings… their saving power may actually decrease.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Kelly
    Favourite Mark Kelly
    Report
    Jul 30th 2013, 7:32 AM

    John kelly i do believe you used to work there,but how long has it been? There are monthly inspections every month from every council.

    2
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds