Animal welfare workers in Clare are being put to the pin of their collar to cope with the number of dogs coming into their care due to a lack of dog-friendly rentals.
Amid a nationwide surge in renters being forced to part with their canine companions due to strict tenancy agreements, a leading dogs charity is seeking a change in legislation.
In 2024, 431 people contacted Dogs Trust Ireland to surrender their pet because their new home wouldn’t allow a four-legged friend.
This is up from 203 in 2019, pointing to a five-year-increase of 112%, meaning the charity receives at least one call of this nature each day.
Now, a petition has been launched urging the Government to change the law to prevent blanket bans on pets in tenancy agreements.
Dogs Trust Ireland Communications Manager Paula Padlo says being rehomed is hugely stressful for dog and owner alike.
A total of 91 dogs were surrendered to Clare Animal Welfare last year with half of these due to rental issues.
The charity has taken in a whole 45 dogs in the first four months of this year alone, indicating a potential surge in 2025.
Owners giving up their pets as a result of tenancy regulations has been has been labelled a “serious problem” by Stiofán McGabhann of Clare Animal Welfare.
He says they can’t keep up with the number of dogs they’re being presented with.
You can listen to the full interview here:
