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OVER 600 dogs and cats have been rehomed by the ISPCA following the closure of a research facility in Co Mayo.
A total of 603 animals – 346 dogs and 257 cats – were rescued.
[image alt="janis HT" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/02/janis-ht-2-296x298.jpg" width="296" height="298" credit-source="ISPCA" caption="One%20of%20the%20beagles%20that%20has%20been%20rehomed%20by%20the%20ISPCA" class="alignnone" /end]
The ISPCA was first approached by Charles River Laboratories in August 2016 to discuss the possibility of rehoming as many of the animals as possible. Following a series of meetings, an agreement was research on the most effective way of rehoming the animals.
Animal care staff were retained after the closure of the facility to enable the animals to be cared for until they could be processed for release.
All the dogs and cats had to be neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and health checked by veterinary surgeons before they could be removed from the facility for rehoming.
Many of the dogs also required to be socialised before being introduced to their new environment. This included training the dogs to walk on a leash.
A new outdoor exercise area was created, complete with a living room equipped with a sofa and television so that the dogs could adapt to their new homes in due course.
[image alt="Annie rehoming" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/02/annie-rehoming-296x228.jpg" width="296" height="228" credit-source="ISPCA" caption="This%20is%20Annie%2C%20another%20one%20of%20the%20rehomed%20beagles%20" class="alignnone" /end]
The ISPCA said it realised that it would be difficult to deal with such a large number of dogs and cats and called on Dogs Trust Ireland and Cats Protection for their assistance.
The process began in December 2016 when a small number of animals (10 dogs and 12 cats) were removed initially on a trial basis and transported to the ISPCA’s National Animal Centre in Longford. It has taken over 12 months to remove all the animals from the facility.
“The sheer volume of animals removed naturally put a strain on our resources and it was challenging at times but also hugely rewarding. When we receive photos and wonderful updates sent from the new pet owners… it is truly moving,” ISPCA centre manager Eva Ellis said.
[image alt="Sugar 01" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/02/sugar-01-296x240.jpg" width="296" height="240" credit-source="ISPCA" caption="And%20this%20is%20Sugar%2C%20one%20of%20the%20rehomed%20cats" class="alignnone" /end]
The ISPCA expressed its gratitude to the public who responded to its appeal for homes.
The charity is still seeking homes for nine beagle dogs and fifteen cats.
“The ISPCA is appealing to anyone looking to get a new pet to always consider adopting from a rescue rather than buying one,” a statement from the charity said.
For more information, people can contact the ISPCA on 043 332 5035 or info@ispca.ie.
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We rehomed 2 of the cats that were from the Charles River lab and they have settled in our home perfectly and are treated like royalty! We love them so much!
@Liz Kenny: good on ya & thank you.
Great to see the three charities collaborated to benefit the rehoming of the animals.
Well done to everyone involved. Amazing. Thank you!!
Great to see the dog’s and cat’s be allowed get a new lease on life. I hope they get re-homed when they ajust too there new freedom.
Great article for phasing transition to rehoming cats and dogs…
But…. RESEARCH FACILITY.. what the hell?
@Barry Dempsey: for testing human hair products,and the likes herd of that place years ago,
@Kevin Garvey: I’m taking it these amimals all have sensational hair so?
@Barry Dempsey: precisely . What on earth were they researching or testing on these poor animals.
@Isabel Oliveira: or perhaps medication to treat illness in household pets? Or immunization? Not all testing on animals is nefarious. No need to feign outrage without any notion of what research was actually being conducted. Most likely completely innocent.
Isn’t it wonderful to see it when good things happen to animals who have had a rough start in life.
Please if you’re Considering getting a pet keep an open mind on the rehoming option its very rewarding knowing that you have taken a pet from a bad place in life to its forever home.
Charles river laboratories is a very sad place for any innocent animal to end up. Cruel painful experiments carried out on animals of many different species including the beagle, perhaps one of the most abused dogs in any laboratory. An American company, Charles River still has another laboratory in County Mayo where ‘Animal care staff‘… abuse (experiment on) animals on a daily basis. ‘Animal care staff’… that’s as incorrect a description of any staff member of Charles River laboratories I’ve ever read! My sister worked for a health insurance company in the past and as part of her duties, she had to visit Charles River labs in Co Mayo on a regular basis to renew the staff’s health insurance. The sounds of animals crying and screeching she describes, as sounds she had never heard b4.
@OMG!: I can really get drained with all the animal cruelty in the world. The things I’ve seen on twitter are so vile and disgusting. On the other hand its good not to be ignorant about the world. :(
@OMG!: what the f*#k is that that is ridiculous selling animals for research sick pr1kc
@OMG!: I’m screaming in disbelief and horror at this and how it was allowed to exist.
If you eat animal based products you participate in the mass torture and murder of animals. If you purchase products from companies that routinely and actively test on animals you participate in the mass torture and murder of animals. Cats and dogs are not the only species that are used for testing by Charles River Laboratories. As a consumer you have the power to influence change, and your choices can help lessen the amount of animals who live and die in horrendous conditions.
@OMG!: they don’t list cats and dogs
@Missyb211: “Large animals have been used widely as translational models to satisfy regulatory requirements for testing in nonrodent species. We also conduct preclinical studies in the standard nonrodent species.” https://www.criver.com/products-services/safety-assessment/preclinical-species/large-animals
How many other facilities such as this exist in Ireland?
My heart bleeds for all those animals not lucky enough to be freed from labs around the world…
Love cats and dogs but have to say cats rock!
Speaking with personal experience, young beagles can be a lot of work but theyre fantastic company once you stay with them a while just chillin’
And the sale of cigarettes plummets in mayo too ..
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