Shelter for creatures great and small

Q&A: Conor Dowling

Those bodies concerned with the welfare of animals have been labouring under increasing pressures — a rise in animals being abandoned or surrendered to the point where most shelters are now bursting at the seams — an increase in overheads, and increased call-outs for welfare officers to assist animals in acute distress. And all of this made more difficult by the restrictions that were placed on them by previously outdated regulations.

I spent an unpleasant few hours reviewing the ISPCA’s website and the stories from their inspectors who deal with some horrendous examples of cruelty daily and I was struck by their resilience and dedication. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The website contains some heart-warming stories of rescued animals successfully re-homed along with glowing testimonials from their new owners. But some of the images are hard to forget — like the clandestine puppy farms run illegally and in squalid conditions.