the demand for puppies since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has been “absolutely berserk.” That’s according to Máire O’Sullivan of Cork Dog Action Welfare Group (D.A.W.G). “Every time we put up a small cute dog we have hundreds and hundreds of applications. 

“We'll put up a dog that we say is not suitable for a home with children and people will pretend they don't have children. Then when we send someone to do a home check, there's clearly kids living there.”

Coupled with an increase in demand, is a decrease in supply, with the shelter being tasked with rehoming less puppies. 
 
“Usually we get a lot of dogs from pounds and pick up stray dogs and things like that.”

the demand for puppies is “unlike anything I’ve ever seen”, the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) Chief Inspector Conor Dowling told the Examiner. “It's extraordinary - the demand, and what people are willing to pay.”

Mr Dowling estimates there's been a four fold increase in the price of puppies, with the average designer crossbreed now going for upwards of €1500.

ISPCA's Chief Inspector Conor Dowling with his rescue dog, Bailey. Picture: ISPCA

And with that increase in value comes an increase in the numbers of criminals spotting a potentially highly lucrative business. 
 
“Looking back at our work in the last six months we've found a number of unregistered dog breed establishments, some of which have been operating for some time, but some of which have sort of been set up to take advantage of the money that's to be made,” Inspector Dowling said.

Last year, ISPCA inspectors carried out close to 500 investigations with over 800 animals seized or surrendered and taken into ISPCA care.

Radio producer and journalist Brenda Dennehy witnessed the “crazy” demand and skyrocketing price of pups when she went looking for a miniature dachshund in March. 

While Ms Dennehy ultimately paid out €1,200 for her new best friend, she was quoted up to €3,500 for a miniature dachshund puppy. 

“If they’re trying to charge you that, it’s bad news,” she said, “I’ve a dog from a breeder who loves the dogs… he sent me pictures everyday [before she bought the dog] and we’re still in touch now.” 

For Ms Dennehy part of her motivation for getting a puppy of her own is the fact that their family dog is now 12 years-old and she fears he doesn’t have much time left with him.

“I can’t be without a dog,” she said, “and I’ve always loved miniature dachshunds.”

And so began her hunt for Winston.

“I was willing to adopt,” she says, “but they weren't there [in the shelters].” 

Ms Dennehy then started looking to purchase a pooch.

“I was like a detective,” she says, “I wanted to do all my background checks. I wanted pictures of the mother, the mother’s papers, pictures of the father, how many were in the litter... I even found his big brother and sister on Instagram!”

While she has no regrets about buying her dog from a breeder, she says she feels people are often made to feel guilty purchasing a pooch over adopting.

"I had someone from a shelter tell me 'wait for all the grief now, that you shopped and didn't adopt.' 

“There's that kind of guilt.. I get where they're coming from but why would I want to take something I didn't like? 

“If you want a certain dog and you're going to look after it, I don't think people should make you feel guilty.”

Winston has his own  Instagram page and Ms Dennehy acknowledges there is now a culture where a dog can be seen almost as a supplement to one's social status, especially #onthegram. 

Indeed, official Garda figures suggest there was an increase of just 16% last year - 244 dogs were reported stolen in 2020, compared to 2019 when just 205 dogs were reported stolen. 

“Anything like that would be extremely rare,” he stresses.

Rumours about drones surveilling housing estates and criminals marking houses and gates where dogs reside have also reached the ISPCA.

“We haven't seen any evidence to confirm [those reports].”

But, there are certainly “opportunistic thieves” he said, “If they see an opportunity to take a dog, which would be of value, they will do so.”

Recent research carried out by the DSPCA suggests one in eight of us got a new pet during the pandemic, with the youngest cohort of 18 to 24 year-olds the most likely to have acquired a furry friend during the various lockdowns. But, worryingly, 60% of respondents said they were not concerned or even aware that their pets will likely develop anxiety when there’s an inevitable change to their routine when Covid-19 restrictions come to an end. 

Similar research carried out by The Kennel Club in the UK revealed one in five new dog owners are not sure how they will look after their dog when they return to the workplace, with 48% admitting they hadn’t even taken this into consideration before getting their pandemic pup.

“When we're rehoming dogs we really don't like to home a dog to somebody who's gone all day,” Marion Fitzgerald of Limerick Animal Welfare said.

“A whole lot of dogs have found homes during the pandemic now, and nobody has ever asked what happens [after the pandemic].” 

“If you got a puppy at 7, 8, 9, 10 weeks old, and it's been used to a lot of attention and all of a sudden, everybody goes out in the morning and it's left to its own devices.. that’s a problem.”

Throughout the pandemic, animal welfare charities have warned of a surge of surrendered puppies to accompany the end of the pandemic. And as we move nearer to that end, that fear is starting to become reality.

“Unfortunately, we are starting to see exactly what we feared,” Becky Bristow, executive director at Dogs Trust says.

“It has started to happen in the last four to six weeks.”

“And prior to that, we were seeing people over the last year who perhaps on a whim bought a puppy reselling them online.”
 
Now, people are starting to come to Dogs Trust and other shelters. 
 
“We are getting litters of puppies for big breeds in, people who maybe it was an accidental litter or maybe, they thought they would breed and sell them on and there just isn't the market anymore.”

“The demand for dogs has actually dropped in the last couple of weeks, the prices have fallen quite dramatically.”
 
Cork’s DAWG has seen similar. 
 
“We've seen the start of the pandemic puppies coming to us,” O’Sullivan admits. 
 
“A lot of the dogs that we currently have for homing that are small, cute, fuzies are under a year old and have things like severe separation anxiety because they've never been left alone. 
 
“It's going to be difficult to find homes for those kinds of dogs.”

Nevertheless, if you want to rehome your dog and give it it’s best chance, Ms O’Sullivan says it’s always best to call a reputable animal welfare charity.

“If it comes to it and your lifestyle is not suitable and you have realized the best choice you can make is to rehome your dog, contact a reputable animal welfare charity, with nice pictures, and an accurate description of the dog's personality.