Calls to animal welfare helpline more than doubled in five years

The red deer stag at Newbridge Demesne, Donabate which was found beheaded this week. Picture: Fingal County Council/PA

The number of calls to an animal welfare helpline operated by the Department of Agriculture has more than doubled in the past five years.

Figures provided by the agriculture minister Martin Heydon showed that the number of calls to the helpline has jumped from 846 in 2020 to 2,040 up to the end of October.