The Friends of Animals Rescue Centre in Mullingar may not take part in next Sunday's annual agricultural show because it claims it was initially refused a stand at the major event. The centre, run by Ms Mary Chundee, has been taking part in the show for over 15 years, giving advice about animals and their welfare, spaying/neutering, re-homing and other issues.
However, according to Ms Chundee, when she approached the chairman of the show earlier this week, she was told the group was "not welcome".
She alleged the chairman, Mr Joseph Leavy, told her she and her group were not very popular and there was no space available for them.
Mr Leavy yesterday denied the organisation had been refused access to the show because of Ms Chundee's attitude towards blood sports.
"I initially thought there might be a problem with finding space for her but as it turned out there is space even though her application came very late in the day," he said.
"Mr Leavy seems to be confusing the Friends of Animals group with the Irish Council Against Blood Sports and I was deeply hurt at the attitude," Ms Chundee said.
She said her organisation was not involved in lobbying and had deliberately stayed away from the hunting issue.
"I am personally opposed to hunting but that has nothing to do with what I do here. We rescue, treat and re-home animals which are given to us. Many of them come from the farming community," she said.
"We are extremely hurt and disappointed and puzzled by the show committee's decision to exclude us from the show next Sunday," she said.
Mr Levy said he had done everything possible to facilitate Ms Chundee and she was welcome to have a stand at the show if she paid the £30 fee which had been agreed with her.
Ms Chundee, who is involved in sending Irish collie dogs to homes in Germany and France, said the chairman had come to the centre on Tuesday but had refused to apologise for his rejection of space for the organisation last week.
"He seemed to be offering us the traditional space we normally occupy but he refused to apologise for the cold, outright refusal he made earlier in the week," she said.
Ms Chundee said she was awaiting an apology from Mr Leavy before she would consider taking part in the show.