Animal welfare - How safe is that doggie in the window?

SOME of those pups, kittens and ponies that seemed such a good idea — as a present for little Aaron or Amanda — just before Christmas will be beginning to grate on the nerves of some people just about now.

Those people who did not realise that the animals need to be fed every single day. Those people who did not realise that animals make a mess, make noise and need attention every single day, no matter what time you get home from work.

Some of those people contributed to the 16,338 dogs — just dogs — surrendered to or collected by the ISPCA in 2006. In the same year 14,598 unwanted dogs were put down. That’s more than 1,000 a month but does not reflect animals disposed of in other ways.

Our attitude to animal welfare can be best seen in one simple fact: there are only five ISPCA inspectors for the whole 26 counties — it was only four pre-2007. In Britain there are 400. These figures do not suggest a vibrant cultural commitment to animal welfare.

It is another example of our hypocritical modus operandi, one so evident in far too many aspects of our lives. We seem to think that once the laws are in place that the job is done, that there is no need to enforce them. That by making something illegal it will go away.

The vast majority of people who keep animals commercially or as pets do so without ever mistreating or neglecting them but as the figures show too many others do not.

As some living Christmas presents become new year problems people must be strongly discouraged from dumping or abandoning animals and encouraged to dispose of them — if they must — through proper channels — the ISPCA, say — some other animal welfare charity or a vet.

Do not compound the mistake of bringing an animal into an unsuitable environment by abandoning it.