The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
JUST over a year ago, two men were prosecuted by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) after admitting to their parts in the docking of the tails of six terrier puppies. They were the first to be summonsed before the courts in relation to offences under Section 16 of Animal Health and Welfare Act, which came into force on March 6, 2014. Legislation has outlawed the docking of puppies’ tails and the removal of dew claws by lay-persons. At the court hearing, ISPCA chief inspector, Conor Dowling, said, “We need to get away from the attitude that this sort of mutilation is normal practice and that some breeds don’t look right with long tails. This is just one of several cases we have instigated in relation to the illegal docking of puppies. People must be aware that to perform this act is a criminal offence and can have serious consequences”. Tail docking is an old …
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