'Overwhelming list of dogs waiting to come into our care' - Unwanted dog crisis deepens in Ireland

Dogs Trust Ireland is appealing for support after taking in eight 10-day-old puppies who require round the clock care. The charity has also taken in a further 46 puppies, bringing the total intake of puppies to 54 in less than three weeks, as the unwanted dog crisis in Ireland deepens. 

Since January, Dogs Trust has been inundated with 2,180 requests from members of the public hoping to relinquish their dogs, compared to 1,638 requests for the same period last year. 

Maciej Trojanowicz, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland explains: "We also have an overwhelming list of dogs waiting to come into our care from local authority dog pounds. While we would love to be able to help every single dog we are asked to, sadly, we just don’t have the kennel space to do so. That’s why we are urgently appealing for foster homes, so we can help as many dogs as possible.

"People who foster are often asked if it’s hard to say goodbye to the dog they have cared for. As a fosterer myself, I can tell you first-hand that the feeling of knowing the dog is going to a family who will love them, far outweighs the temporary sadness."

Ciara Murran, Head of Communications at Dogs Trust Ireland continues: "Sadly we are continuing to deal with the fallout from the pandemic. More and more people are spending increasing periods of time away from their homes and feel they can no longer give their dogs the time they need."