Dublin City Council and Dogs Trust Ireland have joined forces to introduce an innovative scheme that will promote responsible dog ownership among City Council tenants.
Dogs Trust Ireland is offering a free neutering, spaying and micro-chipping service to owners of all breeds of dog kept in City Council homes. To operate the scheme, the Charity has put in place an arrangement with a number of veterinary practices around the city to carry out this service, at no cost to the City Council.
Importantly, this campaign will also humanely assist in fulfilling the City Council’s objective to phase out restricted breed dogs from City Council Housing tenancies.
The offer is being made available to Dublin City Council tenants who were already in possession of a restricted breed dog prior to the introduction of the ban on keeping 10 such breeds in Council properties since 1st July 2007. Tenants to whom the scheme applies in respect of restricted breeds must abide by its terms, and this is the only condition under which they can keep these dogs as pets.
Vincent Healy, Senior Executive Officer, Housing and Residential Services, says: “In respect of the 10 restricted breeds of dog, we acknowledge that a number of our tenants are responsible dog owners and have built up a relationship with one of these breeds, who would understandably be upset if they had to give their dog away or have it put down. Accordingly, we are happy to allow them to keep their dogs provided they agree to have them micro-chipped and neutered / spayed. However, we remain steadfast in achieving our primary objective to ensure that our streets, parks, and Council neighbourhoods are safe for people to walk and for children to play in. Where tenants persist in illegally keeping one of the 10 restricted breeds of dog in their home, the Council will consider such action to be a breach of tenancy, will issue a Notice to Quit, and this could ultimately lead to eviction.”
All Dublin City Council tenants will be informed of the initiative by leaflet drop.
Brenda Comerford, Campaigns Manager with Dogs Trust Ireland, says: “We at Dogs Trust do not support breed specific legislation, however we encourage owners of all breeds to manage their dogs responsibly. We are therefore glad to have this opportunity to further promote responsible and positive ownership and build on our existing work with Dublin City Council. Dogs Trust has the resources to reach all tenants over the coming months and owners that truly care about their dogs and their community will embrace this campaign. Neutering will not change your dog, but will result in a less aggressive, more manageable and healthier dog”.
The restricted breeds are American Pit Bull Terrier; Bull Mastiff; Doberman Pinscher; English Bull Terrier; German Shepherd (Alsatian); Japanese Akita; Japanese Tosa; Rhodesian Ridgeback; Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Ends
Notes to the Editor
Operation of the Scheme
Tenants of the City Council can retain a restricted breed dog provided:
The tenancy began prior to 1st July 2007 and only where the tenant was in possession of one of these dogs before that date;
The dog is licensed, neutered/spayed and micro-chipped by 30th September 2008. Details of the scheme and of participating vets is available at Dogs Trust Ireland, Tel: 2109426 or, at Dublin City Council Customer Services at Tel: 1800 200 668.
The dog is muzzled, kept on a lead in a public place and under effectual control in accordance with the Control of Dogs Legislation.
Also available to all tenants that keep dogs as pets and not just to restricted breeds.
About Dogs Trust Ireland
Dogs Trust is an international charity with head offices in the UK and Ireland and is working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.
In Ireland, over the past two and a half years, over 26,000 dogs have been neutered under their nation wide subsidised neutering campaign, which offers €20 dog neutering to owners on means tested benefit through a participating network of over 360 vets. An Education Officer also visits schools in the Dublin area promoting responsible dog ownership and being safe around dogs. There are also plans to build a state of the art re-homing centre off the Finglas exit of the M50.
Dogs Trust spokespeople are available for interviews, filming and photography.
“Dogs Trust is working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction” (Brenda Comerford).