Gaping omission in animal welfare legislation

Gina Hetherington of PAWS was privileged to get an invitation to Minister Coveney’s animal welfare conference held recently in Dublin Castle (Letters, May 29)

Many of us campaigning against barbaric cruelty to animals, such as bloodsports, were excluded from the conference and were outside the gates of Dublin Castle protesting, while bloodsports enthusiasts received invitations from the minister, such as foxhunters and the spade and terrier brigade.

Certainly there are provisions in the act to be welcomed — the banning of the barbaric practice of docking dogs’ tails, increased powers for authorised officers to investigate complaints of animal cruelty, and stricter penalties on convictions.