Animal Welfare Dog Unit

Licence Inspections

Dog owners not in possession of a current licence can purchase a licence on licences.ie or any post office.

Dog licences can be purchased in two ways:

1. Customers wanting to renew their dog licence can no longer renew online with Dublin City Council and must renew online via the Dog Licences website.
2. Those who do not wish to use the online payments facility can purchase a licence directly from their local post office. Since 1st January 2012, a regular annual dog licence will cost €20. A lifetime licence costs €140; and for those with larger numbers of dogs, a single, general one-year licence can be purchased for €400.

Dog Shelter

Dublin City Council arranges for the provision and operation of a Dog Shelter facility for the purposes of its functions under the Control of Dogs Act 1986 , The Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act 1992 and Dublin City Council's Control of Dogs Bye-Laws 1998.

Fees/fines for reclaiming your dog back from the shelter will depend on the below

• The duration of time spent in our shelter €150 for five nights €30 per additional night
• Fine: Keeping a dog without a licence: €150
• Fine: Failure to keep your dog under effectual control: €300
• Fine: No collar and ID: €200
• Fine: Failure to have your dog on a leash in specified areas as stated in the bye-laws: €100
• Fine: Failure to have a muzzle on restricted breed dog out in public: €300
• Fine: Failure to have a restricted breed dog on a leash out in public:€300
• Fine: Allowing a restricted breed dog to be lead by a person under the age of sixteen: €300

Other Charges

• Surrender Fee: €250 
• Rehoming Fee: €50
• Microchipping Fee: €25
• Return fee/drop off €50
• All fees must be paid in advance of collection/return of your dog by card by calling 01 222 5441 or 01 222 3368

*Please note when surrendering a dog you must be the legal owner and will be required to produce ID and proof of ownership.*

Impact of Stray Dogs on Guide Dogs

Stray dogs can have an adverse effect on guide dogs and their owners. Stray dogs or dogs not on a leash can distract a guide or assistance dog, making them nervous or aggressive. This can affect the dogs effectiveness , causing poor concentration and errors that place the dog and the owner at risk. Puppies in training have also developed anxiety which makes them difficult to train.

These situations can be over-whelming for guide dog owners as they can’t see the loose dog or help their guide dog. These issues have sometimes resulted in the withdrawal of the guide dog. Guide dog owners are then often reluctant to reapply for a new guide dog. It costs €38,000 to train a guide dog. We need your help to protect this investment, guide dogs and the people who need their assistance.

To learn more visit Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Nuisance due to Barking Dogs

Dog Barking nuisance is a civil matter and cannot be dealt with by the Local Authority or the Animal Welfare Unit.

Section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 deals with the issue of nuisance due to barking dogs. Under Section 25 of this act, a decision as to whether any case of dog barking constitutes a nuisance is an issue for the District Court to adjudicate on.

If you wish to make a complaint about barking dogs can download the Barking Dog Complaint Form. For further advice on properly serving this notice as required under Section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act, contact your local District Court office.

What to do if you have lost your dog

• Report to the Animal Welfare Unit on our Facebook Page or by calling 01 222 5441 and or 01 222 3368,  in an after hours emergency please phone 01 222 6060 or to your local Garda Station leaving your name, phone number and a description of your dog.
• Contact your local vet to see if it has been brought in.
• Contact the Dog's Trust, Dublin SPCA and other welfare groups, as they may have your dog.
• Advertise on the Irish lost and found animal website.
• Check lost and found notice boards in local shops and post offices.
• If you find your pet, please remember to contact all the organisation's and people you have told about your lost pet so they know your pet has been found; and please take down all posters and signs.

Prevention

Every year, hundreds of dogs are re-homed by the dog shelter because their owners cannot be traced. In order to avoid this, owners must:

• Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with a disk at ALL times. It is your legal obligation to have the dog identified in this way and you will be fined for not having one.
• Get the dog microchipped. This can be done in most vets, at the DSPCA or at the DSPCA mobile clinics.
• Register your animal and please ensure that your microchip is up to date.
• Get the dog neutered, it stops them wandering and wanting to get out of the garden, as well as stopping unwanted breeding and behavioural problems.
• All dogs not reclaimed within 5 days can legally be rehomed.

Restricted Breeds/Dublin City Council Tenancies

The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 impose certain rules in relation to the following breeds (and strains/cross-breeds) of dog.

The 10 breeds of dog subject to stricter regulations are:

• American pit bull terrier
• English bull terrier
• Staffordshire bull terrier
• Bull mastiff
• Dobermann pinscher
• German shepherd (Please note: German Shepherd also includes dog breeds known as Alsatian)
• Rhodesian ridgeback
• Rottweiler
• Japanese akita
• Japanese tosa
• and to every dog of the type known as a Ban Dog (or Bandog) and to every other strain or cross of every breed or type of dog” as legislated under the Control of Dog Regulations 1998

Additional measures regarding the control of dogs have been taken by the Housing and Community Services Department of Dublin City Council in the interests of good estate management.

Dublin City Council introduced a ban on the keeping of 10 breeds of dog by City Council tenants on the 1st July 2007. A tenant who had one of these breeds of dog prior to the introduction of the ban may be allowed to keep their dog, provided they ensure that the dog is microchipped, licenced and neutered/spayed.