Petition for Junior Minister to 'champion dog welfare' as 10-week-old puppies abandoned

A litter of 10-week-old dachshund cross pups who were found dumped in a cardboard box and handed into Dogs Trust Ireland. Photo: Fran Veale 

More than 18,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to create a new Junior Minister role who will "champion dog welfare" across the country.

The petition was started after four 10-week-old dachshund cross pups were discovered abandoned at the side of a road in a cardboard box and taken into Dogs Trust's rehoming centre in Dublin.