Recession bites as dog owners look for pound

CLARE’S dog warden Frankie Coote said that the Ennis Dog Pound is feeling the effect of the economic recession, with more and more people contacting them to take their dog, as they can no longer afford to take care of them.
“Since the recession, more people are phoning the dog pound, asking us to take their dog, as they can’t afford the upkeep of the dog. While we urge people not to get a dog if they can’t reasonably take care of it, it is better that people who genuinely can’t mind their dog contact us rather than just abandoning the dog anywhere,” Mr Coote said.
He pointed out that of the approximate 30,000 dogs in Clare, only 4,000 are licensed. “Under law, people must have a dog licence. It costs €12.70 annually at any post office. Any breach under the Control of Dogs Act can result of a fine up to €1,200 and up to a three-month prison sentence. It’s important, I think, that people realise that the courts in Clare are very strict in implementing this act and will penalise severely for any breaches. I’m appealing to people to comply with the law in the interest of public safety,” he said.
He said his job has become very stressful as he is targeted with all kinds of verbal abuse when he tries to explain the laws to people in relation to control of dogs. “People are ignoring the laws. I’m finding it very stressful carrying out my duties on the beaches, for example, and amenity parks like Lees Road, trying to make people understand the laws. The abuse they are throwing back at me is unbelievable. It’s very frustrating on the beaches. On my recent visits there, most people do co-operate but others give terrible abuse.
“A dog on the beach must be under proper control, specifically a lead. If they come under the Dangerous Dogs Act, they must also be muzzled.  I don’t want to be alarmist but I fear that Clare could face a fatality of a young child or an elderly person, as a result of an attack by a dangerous dog. There are a lot of irresponsible people out there when it comes to dogs,” he added.
He said that Clare has the biggest problem of anywhere in Ireland with unwanted dogs. “Dublin pounds last year dealt with 500 to 600 dogs and we dealt with 2,500 in Clare Dog Pound. That’s the fact. No other county area has the same extent of this problem as Clare,” he commented.
In 2008, 1,800 dogs were put down from Ennis pound. “In the whole of the UK, there wouldn’t be 1,000 dogs put down in council pounds in a year. They don’t have the problems we do with stray dogs. They seem to take better care of their dogs. In one week last year there were 10 dogs abandoned in Ennis, mainly outside shopping centres. The answer to this is for people to microchip their dog, which can identify the owner immediately. This costs €30 through a vet. It means that a dog with a microchip who is found can be brought back to their home and not to the local pound.”
He also strongly advocated the spaying of bitches and neutering of dogs. “Neutering costs approximately €60 and spaying about €100. Clare Animal Welfare has been issuing all dogs leaving the Ennis Dog Pound with a neutering voucher, so their new owners will see that this is done. This is costing them thousands. Clare SPCA are investing €20,000 in this neutering scheme annually for the past 20 years,” Mr Ryan said.