Dungarvan Animal Matters and Welfare Information

05/01/2026

Well, it was Sunday and they don’t assist emergency cases at the best of times let alone at weekends.

04/01/2026

Just look at this pity party bs going on in the UK now that trail hunting is also to be banned.

The people, who will happily terrorise a fox, who will gleefully watch that helpless animal be torn apart alive for their ‘pleasure’, want pity. They have no pity, not for the foxes, horses or dogs. They’ll put a bullet into a hounds head for no better reason than it’s too silly, friendly or won’t chase.

Desperate is as desperate does.

Here, we’ve seen what some might claim as being being some sort of victory campaign by the various hunt clubs. What it actually portrays is just how terrified they are of being denied their perverse pleasure because they never, ever, expected the sheer level of anti fox hunting sentiment from the public. The people of this country were denied their democratic rights by the government parties and Sinn Féin Ireland.

04/01/2026

03/01/2026

The tally ho brigade is afraid, and very obviously afraid.

These people didn’t take on board the public’s interest and opinion on this issue.

The majority of the people in this country want to see this vile, disgusting and barbaric hobby banned in its entirety. The tally ho brigade never expected such public attention.

This is an issue that MUST NOT be decided by a minority group in this country.
It MUST be put to a referendum. We cannot allow ourselves to be dictated to, and by, a very small minority of people who get their rocks off by terrorizing a small helpless animal.

Be 💯 assured, the passion displayed by these people has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with pest control, assisting farmers or (more ludicrously) acting as a conservation force. Fox hunting is 💯 about gratifying a specific ‘urge’ that can only be satisfied by animal cruelty.

03/01/2026

And just when you think you might just have heard it all - there’s this!

The article goes on to say that there are around 5.5k owners and trainers in the country. 5.5k owners and trainers supported with 20m in tax payers money? Someone tell me that’s a misprint! How could ‘around’ 5.5K people be in receipt of this amount of government funding, for a role/job that they CHOOSE to do?

I wonder, does this course also cover details for how to get ‘rid’ of the ‘wastage’ greyhounds when they don’t run fast enough, have no chase drive, are too silly, too nervous or pick up 💯 treatable injuries during schooling?

OMG, not them again! There is no space for in or anywhere in in 2026 and beyond! Ban Bloodsports

Party for Animal Welfare - Limerick branch calls on TUS, why not launch a couple of courses on prevention of animalcruelty in LImerick and the rest of Ireland! Greyhoundracing should have no airtime anywhere!!!

"Greyhound educational programmes at TUS
LIMERICK’S Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), in collaboration with Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI), has announced the launch of two courses designed to advance education, professional standards, and animal welfare across Ireland’s greyhound industry.

https://www.limerickpost.ie/2026/01/02/greyhound-educational-programmes-at-tus/

The new accredited programmes – the Special Purpose Award in Greyhound Welfare and Husbandry and the Special Purpose Award in Greyhound Health, Injuries, and Drug Analysis – will provide participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to ensure best practice in the care, management and treatment of greyhounds throughout all stages of life.
The courses are designed to meet the evolving educational and welfare needs of the sector, promoting evidence-based care, responsible ownership and regulatory compliance.
Around 5,500 owners and trainers are involved in the sport, which is headquartered at the Dock Road in Limerick. President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane, said: “These programmes will equip those working in the greyhound sector with the scientific understanding and practical competence necessary to uphold the highest standards of care and integrity.”
Pat Flanagan, chairman of GRI, added: “This partnership between GRI and TUS marks a landmark moment for the greyhound industry in Ireland.
“These newly accredited programmes build on the strong standards of care and welfare already achieved across the industry and will serve as an exemplar for canine welfare more broadly.
“They reflect our shared commitment to education, best practice and the highest standards of integrity and lifelong welfare for every greyhound.”
The launch of these programmes marks an important step in supporting education, integrity and welfare in the greyhound industry.
By offering structured, accredited learning opportunities, TUS and GRI are helping to ensure the continued professionalisation of greyhound care and management in Ireland. For further information, visit: grireland.ie/education."

02/01/2026

COLD WEATHER ALERT.

Next few days are expected to be extremely cold, especially at night.

PLEASE ensure all equines have plenty feed, and their water supply is checked regularly.

Remember, if it’s too cold for you then it’s too cold for them too.

01/01/2026

Whilst the so called new National SPCA/ispca dspca or whatever it is calling itself, is still enjoying the Xmas break the REAL rescues are still going open and still dealing with cruelty/neglect and abuse cases.

This animal is in DUBLIN. The Nspca is in receipt of over 2 million euro in government funding alone and, last told, had around 12 million in reserves. So, perhaps someone can explain why these situations keep arising in the DUBLIN area? Could it be because the corporate sector doesn’t want to get ‘lumbered’ with these horses? I’d wager it is.
Best to ignore them and hope that the voluntary sector will eventually find out about them and take them? Well, it was too late for this one.

The department of agriculture put up a post about reporting animals in trouble only lately, but that’s just more bs from the department in its quest to be seen as being concerned about animal welfare when, in fact, they really don’t give a rats ass.

These are not isolated or rare incidents at all, but sometimes rescues can’t post about these cases in order to protect the animals.

This country needs an independent animal welfare department. Animal welfare and animal agriculture do not go hand in hand. We don’t need a minister who is more concerned about his social media presence than he is in actually doing his job.

The independent animal welfare community MUST form an alliance asap, or risk being thrown aside in favour of the corporate sector.

01/01/2026

One thing I have noticed in the last week is the level of hunt clubs appearing on my feed.

I’ve never noticed such activity by fox hunting clubs before the recent Bill to outlaw fox hunting with dogs.

This is of huge significance, it proves that they are afraid - and very afraid of being denied their particular perverse pleasure from animal cruelty.

These people aren’t worried about controlling fox numbers, helping farmers, the day out riding and the social aspect involved. Far from it, they’re literally TERRIFIED by the possibility that they will no longer be allowed to practice animal cruelty unhindered.

The government, its various parish pump politicians and their many advisors and civil servants have seriously underestimated the mood of the public on this issue.

31/12/2025

30/12/2025

30/12/2025

As 2025 draws to an end, I would just like to thank everyone who follows this page for their support and feedback.

Animal welfare is very dear to me, has been for as long as I can recall. For over 30 years I was able to help as many dogs, a few horses and cats as I possibly could. Around 4k dogs were saved thanks to DRK’s existence. The rescue was set up to stop as many dogs as I could possibly help from entering the then pound system , where the outcome was only death. Times have changed, and the pound system has changed dramatically since DRK first started in 1986.

Animal welfare in this country is still a very important issue. We have a government that likes to make legislation, in the full knowledge that it is never going to be enforced. That needs to change. We have judges who continue to treat, even the most heinous cases of abuse and cruelty with no more regard than not having a Tv licence. This too needs to change. The legislation is in place, they simply refuse to implement it.

There’s so much more that needs to be done, and there are more people now than ever before willing to take up the fight, but they need public support.
Our politicians are under the impression that they are absolute rulers when it comes to animal welfare issues, and that they can override public opinion, in order to placate the minority who are intent on animal cruelty.

The issue of fox hunting must be put before the people to decide, and not politicians and political parties who are afraid of what they might lose.

We cannot have animal welfare legislation that exempts certain groups of society. Cruelty is cruelty no matter how it’s dressed up.

The politicians seem to forget that they are in place at the will of the people, and some of them are so cringeworthy and embarrassingly ignorant that it beggars belief. But, they play to the audience that votes for them albeit on a parish pump level.

The Irish government wants this country to remain back in the 1900s when it comes to animal welfare in many respects. Why is anyone’s guess. We simply cannot have a modern country that continues to support animal cruelty.
The two just don’t go together.

There is no rural vs urban divide going on, that’s merely an excuse used by those who get pleasure from animal cruelty. It’s insulting to rural dwellers that these politicians dare to tar us all with the psycho element. But then look at what we’ve got - not even Google could translate what some of them are saying.

If we want better enforcement, if we want these politicians to understand that they are on thin ice with animal welfare then we need to let them know that.

So, as we approach 2026, please remember that it is the independent/voluntary sector that is the backbone of animal welfare in this country. We need to let our politicians know this too.

I ran DRK for over 30 years, and continued to foster for several years after DRK closed so I know how hard it is, I know what sacrifices are made by those in rescue, I know the sleepless nights worrying about bills, staying up all night with sick and injured animals - which is why all I ask of you for 2026 is to support the independent rescue of your choice, if not financially then by lobbying local TDs.

Let’s all help make 2026 the year that politicians are made to become aware that animal welfare is an issue.

On that note, I wish you all a very Happy New Year. M x.

Martin HeydonSinn Féin IrelandMary Lou McDonald - Sinn FéinFine GaelSimon Harris TDMicheál MartinDavid Cullinane T.D.Fianna Fáil