Dublin City Council has been unable to source a new dog pound to care for lost, abandoned, surrendered or seized animals, despite offering to pay up to €400,000 a year for the service.
The council earlier this year sought tenders for the provision of a dog shelter service to replace the Ashton Dog Pound in Ashtown, west Dublin, which has been the been the subject of a Garda investigation in relation to animal welfare issues.
The council’s contract with the pound expired at the end of June and it is no longer placing animals in Ashton’s care, with a small number of remaining dogs having been removed in recent weeks.
However, despite offering to pay €300,000 to €400,000 annually, the council said it has not been able to source a replacement service.
“A small number of tenders were received. However, having completed the compliance check and evaluation process, none of these tenderers have been awarded the contract.”
The council said it will continue to seek a long-term solution for the provision of shelter care and in the meantime was working with a number of organisations to provide short- to medium-term dog shelter services.
Euthanise animals
Gardaí last year opened an investigation into allegations relating to the improper use of veterinary drugs, used to euthanise animals, at Ashton Dog Pound.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Deirdre Heney, who chairs the council's animal welfare oversight committee, said the council should now move to provide its own shelter instead of contracting out the service.
"The response to the tenders drives the argument for Dublin City Council to provide its own municipal dog shelter," she said.
Some progress had already been made in improving the council’s animal welfare response she said.
“The city council is setting up an animal welfare unit that will have three authorised officers, that will look after issues in relation to the treatment of horses and other animals as well as dogs. It has also been agreed that the council will also have its own dog wardens.” The Garda had also agreed that each Garda division would have an animal welfare officer she said.
Asked about the investigation of Ashton,the Garda confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that “a file has been submitted to the DPP”. Ashton did not respond to requests for comment.
