Almost 18,000 dogs were put down by local authorities last year, according to figures released by the Minister for the Environment.
The figures were given to Fine Gael TD Mr Micheal Ring, by Mr Roche, in response to parliamentary questions.
They show that a total of 1,401 dogs were destroyed in Co Clare in 2003, 1,403 in Co Kerry, while a total of 1,928 were put down in Limerick city and county. This compares to 88 in Co Leitrim, 95 in Co Kilkenny and 661 in Galway city and county.
In Dublin city and county 1,971 dogs were destroyed, compared to 1,153 in Cork city and county. In total 17,695 dogs were put down by local authorities last year, the figures show.
Mr Ring said parents should realise that buying pets just for Christmas "may be effectively sentencing them to death".
"The best solution to this tragic issue is for people to not buy pets they cannot care for in the first place," he added.
