Puppy farms a dark blight on the country

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

SURELY even the hardest heart must have felt some pity and compassion for the dogs and puppies in the midlands puppy farm highlighted on the recent animal welfare programme on TV3.

The name ‘puppy farm’ creates images of happy healthy dogs and puppies racing around fields, rolling in soft grass, sleeping in warm beds of hay. Nothing could be further from the truth. These unfortunate animals are confined in dark sheds, often chained up, little or no food, certainly no veterinary care and bred and bred until they are no further use and then generally shot or dumped.

To our shame throughout this country there are hundreds of these establishments and thanks to an indifferent government nothing is done to bring these breeders to account.

People need to realise that every time they purchase a dog from a breeder at the side of the road, or at the gate of the farm without insisting on seeing where the dogs comes from, they are unwittingly condemning these animals to a life of misery and neglect.

They sadly will never know what it is to be loved and cared for as they deserve and as everyone knows, no one will ever love you as unconditionally as your dog.

Anthony O’Sullivan
Harolds Cross
Dublin 6

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, January 19, 2011