Darragh Bourke

The Big Bark producer Blasts Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council over unlawful policy change re: restricted dogs

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[Limerick Ireland, 12/07/2024] The Big Bark owner & producer Blasts Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council over unlawful policy change re: restricted dogs

  • The Big Bark producer blasts Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county council for unlawful policy change on restricted breeds
  • DLR policy change prohibits rehoming of restricted breed dogs from Dublin County Dog shelter
  • DLR advise the pound operator that all restricted breeds entering the pound from the DLR area are deemed unsuitable for rehoming.
  • DLR respond stating that decision made due to XL bully attack in Limerick in May
  • Local Councillors unaware of policy change according to Councillor Hugh Lewis
  • Call for chief executive of DLR Frank Curran to investigate and reverse policy decision immediately
  • The Big Bark calls for civil servant responsible for this policy change to be removed from any position of responsibility for animal welfare policies

 

Earlier today, I was made aware of the appalling decision by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to implement a policy change for Dublin County Dog Shelter, instructing the shelter that they were prohibited from rehoming Dogs which are featured on the restricted breeds list.

While there has been some level of expectation for quite some time that Ireland would follow in the footsteps of the UK in regards to an XL Bully ban (of which we do not approve), this policy change by DLR has left us at The Big Bark shocked, appalled and absolutely furious.

Upon being made aware of this policy change, we immediately contacted DLR for comment and clarification in which they confirmed the instruction was made following the recent XL Bully attack in Limerick, which by now we are all aware of. Their justification for euthanizing every restricted breed dog that is not claimed by an owner in the space of 5 days is a dog attack that happened 130 miles from their location, a dog attack that involved one breed of dog – an XL Bully.

They are using this as justification to euthanize any restricted breed dog that they wish, without consulting with rescues, dog owners, the brilliant staff who work so hard at the pound and as it so happens, they didn’t even consult the councillors who sit on DLR council. Hugh Lewis Councillor with DLR confirmed in a statement on his facebook page today that councillors were not informed of this policy shift.

We asked DLR what bye laws or what statutes were introduced into legislation that allowed such a policy shift and they have failed to provide an answer. Our own research has indicated that this policy change is completely unlawful. DLR council failed to answer this but provided the following unacceptable statement to The Big Bark.

‘DLR took the decision following the recent  horrific attack in Limerick. DLR advised the pound operator that all restricted breeds entering the pound from the DLR area are deemed unsuitable for rehoming.   As the restricted breeds are deemed unfit for rehoming, this left no option but to have the dogs put to sleep. Following Minister Heather Humphreys announcement on XL bully dogs this morning, DLR will review the position on the inclusion of all restricted breeds.  One XL Bully dog has been put to sleep. 

The pound has been advised that no further dogs are to be put to sleep until this review takes place. Until the review takes place, we are not in a position to partake in a debate.’

While we do welcome their decision to not put any further dogs to sleep until a review takes place, the initial policy change is unwarranted and unlawful. I put the question to DLR regarding what was the legal basis for this initial policy change? No provisions in any bye-laws or legislative statute exist that allow for such a policy shift from the current Control of Dogs Act which in its current form no way prohibits the rehoming of restricted breeds from pounds or shelters. In a statement to a Dublin based rescue, DLR confirmed that the policy of non-rehoming and euthanising of restricted breed dogs not claimed by their owner within 5 days would “continue until the report by the working group on control of dogs is published”. 

The staff at Dublin dog pound are to be commended for the tireless efforts and incredible work they have being undertaking since taking over services from the now defunct Ashton pound. Nobody has forgotten the barbaric cruelty that occurred in Ashton Pound. With this one policy change from DLR, this will undo all the hard efforts of the staff at Dublin Dog pound with a policy that utilises tactics previously attempted within Ashton pound. In 2o24, we have civil servants implementing these barbaric policies and instructing that dogs whose only crime is to wander out of their own homes be put to sleep. The danger here is that this will give way to other councils to attempt to follow suit and unqualified civil servant

At the Big Bark, we are calling on DLR to immediately and permanently reverse this policy change which in its current form is an immensely unlawful policy. The very fact that councillors, rescues and the staff at the pound were not consulted about this implies that the instruction came from civil servants with no authority to issue such an instruction.

We are also calling on Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown county council to immediately and permanently reverse this despicable policy change, and moving forward adhere to the legislation set out in the control of dogs act, in addition to local bye laws and other statutes and to remove the individual responsible for issuing this so called instruction to Dublin pound from their post of responsibility.

We wish to be clear, any individual(s) who can issue such a barbaric and appalling instruction without authority does not deserve to hold a position of responsibility and should not be making any decisions about animal welfare at all or implementing any policies regarding animal welfare with or without the correct authority to do so.

While this policy was implemented by a civil servant, we are calling on the Chief executive of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county council to ensure this policy change is immediately reversed and that restricted breed dogs will be permitted to be rehomed from Dublin pound, unless government legislation via statute or local bye-law otherwise dictates. Until such time as such legislation is implemented, we would like to remind Mr Curran and his team of DLRs obligations and responsibilities to the welfare of animals in their via any pound or shelter under their jurisdiction and that in caring for these beautiful animals, they ensure that this is being done in line with legislation currently in effect and that civil servants in Mr Curran’s employ are not implementing any policy changes regarding the control of dogs or other animal welfare issues without first consulting with the correct authorities and determining if they have the legal precedent to even make such a policy shift.

In his role of Chief executive Mr Curran is ultimately responsible for the decisions that are made by civil servants in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county council and we at The Big Bark along with all animal advocates across Ireland are holding him accountable for the actions of this civil servant who implemented this unlawful policy change and moving forward ensuring him and his team in DLR uphold the current animal welfare legislation in effect in the DLR jurisdiction and attempt to make no further similar unwarranted changes moving forward.

For more information – email [email protected] or phone 085-1094903