DOGS Trust celebrates 10 years working for dogs in Ireland this year and has rehomed over 3,000 dogs since 2009 alone.

Established just off the M50, at Ashbourne Road, Finglas, a huge amount has been achieved in the last 10 years. When Dogs Trust first opened its doors here, Ireland’s rates of healthy dog destruction were shocking. 22,00 dogs a year - or 60 a day - were destroyed in pounds nationwide. Thankully, the destruction rate of healthy dogs has now plunged to 3,500 in 2013, an average of 12 a day.

Dogs Trust takes all of the “six-day dogs’’ - unclaimed dogs who are about to be destroyed after their five days in a pound are up - and commits to finding new homes for them.

One of their biggest messages for the public is never buy dogs or puppies online and only source dogs from rescue services or Irish Kennel Club-registered breeders.

PET ONLINE PROTECTION

Ireland was known as the puppy farming capital of Europe due to nearly 20 websites selling puppies and dogs online.

However, in recent weeks, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, launched the Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group (IPAAG) Minimum Standards for online classified advertising websites at Dublin’s Mansion House. This major very welcome initiative will improve the welfare of the thousands of pets advertised online on a weekly basis.

By January 2016, all dogs in Ireland must be microchipped by law and Dogs Trust runs schemes to help dog owners with this and neutering costs.

CANINE CARE CARD SCHEME

Meanwhile, there has been a great reaction already to Dogs Trust’s free Canine Care Card scheme - a free service which promises to take care of your faithful friend if you die before they do.

Cardholder Máirín DeBurca, who holds a Canine Care Card, described what the service meant to her: “I absolutely adore my dogs Tico and Kimmie. I would be heartbroken to imagine them left all alone if I were to pass away suddenly. I decided to register for a Dogs Trust Canine Care Card to give me peace of mind, knowing that my cheeky chaps will be so well cared for in the future by Dogs Trust.”

Head of marketing at Dogs Trust, Kathrina Bentley, said: “We are seeing a huge increase in the number of responsible dog owners asking what would happen to their dog if they were to die suddenly. It is fantastic to see people getting their affairs in order and giving real thought to their pet’s future. Dogs Trust never puts a healthy dog down, and we work extremely hard to match every dog with responsible, loving owners - no matter how long this may take.”

The Canine Care Card is a simple registration process and once registered, people are issued with a special wallet sized card to carry with them, as they would with a donor card. Visit www.dogstrust.ie for full details including donations and how to register.

DOGS TRUST

Opening Hours

Daily 12pm – 4pm

Closed all day Tuesday

Telephone: Lo-call: 1890 252 928