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Dublin: 12 °C Wednesday 19 June, 2013

Puppy Fund for rescued dogs raises over €7,000 in three days

The DSPCA has set a €10k target in order to care for 96 puppies recently rescued.

Louie was just four-weeks-old when he was rescued. Awww
Louie was just four-weeks-old when he was rescued. Awww
Image: Garda Press Office

THE DSPCA HAS collected more than €7,000 in three days as part of an unexpected fundraising drive.

The extra funding is required as the agency is currently taking care of 92 puppies rescued from suspected animal traffickers last week.

Spokesperson Gillian Bird said the money will be used at the Rathfarnham shelter where the dogs need medical treatments, food and bedding.

“We are looking for 1,000 people to donate €10 each,” she said. “And each of the donors will receive a beautiful certificate to acknowledge their sponsorship.”

The dogs were seized in two separate searches in Dublin last week and some of the pups were as young as four-weeks. Many had medical issues, including mange, earmites, fleas, eye infections and parasitic infections. A number of the pups have had their tails docked and their dew claws removed.

The DSPCA believes the puppies were bound for the UK market where they could be sold for thousands of pounds each.

None of the puppies were microchipped or had any vaccinations. The absence of any identification or vaccination papers makes tracing their breeders impossible although it is understood they were born on Irish puppy farms.

The association says the seizures underline the importance of the Animal Welfare Bill currently going through the Oireachtas, which aims to clamp down on irresponsible breeding and treatment of all animals.

The association is not currently able to make the puppies available to be taken in to new homes, as both seizures remain under investigation, but interested parties are asked to email adopt@dspca.ie. They will be contacted when the puppies become available for adoption.#

As part of the €10k in 10 Days fundraising efforts, Louie the dog has written this letter:

My name is Louie

I am a 4 week old black cocker spaniel.

To be honest I am far too young to be separated from my mum.

They took me away from her so I could be sold to make money. I was put in a Van with another 36 puppies. It was dark, cold and I was very frightened. We were all crying and barking but I stayed in the corner waiting for my mummy.

I think they wanted to bring me to England on a boat.

Then the DSPCA and Gardai arrived and saved us! They were so kind and took us to their shelter in Rathfarnham, where we got a warm bed, lots of cuddles and some yummy food. We were given medicine to make us feel better as we were all quite sick.

I still miss my mum and I hope she is safe. I love cuddles and cry when I am on my own. I love giving people puppy kisses after they have wrapped me all warm in my blanket and cuddled into them, my favourite thing is snuggling into peoples necks as I feel really safe. All I want now is to be part of a loving family where I will be treated with love and respect.

My friends at the DSPCA need to raise €10,000 in ten days so they can look after me and all my pals, 91 of them. All of the money raised will help pay for my treatment, medical care, food, warm bedding, toys and of course lots of treats!

Thank you everybody,

Woof Louie

Donations can be made here and here.

Some seized puppies ‘only six weeks old’, says DSPCA

Rescued puppies will need homes…potential owners asked to register

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Comments (21 Comments)

  • I adopted a rescue breeding “mummy” after she’d been dumped at Dogs Trust. My beautiful Scottish Terrier, Flora, was with us for 4.5 years then sadly went over Rainbow Bridge. In that time she learned how to accept cuddles & kisses, go for walks in sunshine & rain, go with us on holidays &,even play a little. She lost her fear of some men & adored my husband but never lost her fear of sudden movements or torches. A pox on all puppy farmers & irreputable breeders & if I was closer, my name would be on the adoption register.

    Reply
  • Ah that is so sad, please donate the poor pups don’t deserve that start in life ,I’m so happy these little ones will now get a good start in life and please god they do get loving homes, I have 2 dogs age 6 months and 3 months they are so funny and love doing exactly as Louis does above ….thank you to the dspca and all the other rescues you are doing a fantastic job as for the breeders , bad karma follows bad karma …

    Reply
  • I love the dspca. Such a great bunch of people! Cannot wait to volunteer there again. The volunteers and work experience students who are there at the moment got incredibly lucky. over 90 pups, can you imagine!? :D

    Reply
  • Would love to know of the Garda has made any progress in finding the parents of these pups , who no doubt are still kept as breeding machines in puppy farms.

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    • Yep, more shipments of these puppies are happening as we speak or will happen in the near future until the ‘farms’ are closed down.
      But consumers also have a responsibility – never buy a dog unless you have seen the parents and where it was born etc. I would go further to say never buy a dog period – get one fro the rescue centres.

      Reply
  • That’s my kinda news article. Hey Louie, you are going to be alright. Woof! (I’ve got to be honest, his vocabulary is better than mine.) Paw dogs, I’ll send some biscuits and a few euro. Sniffle, woof.

    Reply
  • Talented dog, writing, and only 4 weeks old.

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  • Well done to DSPCA they do an amazing job! This is just a great cause and only €25 to microchip and register these puppies is well spent. :)

    Reply
  • Unless they tackle the puppy farms actually breeding these puppies for this market this is still going to happen regularly.
    So while the Dspca are doing great work helping these 90 puppies what’s to stop the breeders now using the mother dogs to breed again to try make back what they lost. Next time the puppies won’t be found by the police.
    Puppy farms need to be closed down or at least strictly regulated with standards of care for the parents and puppies. It’s no life being forced to live in a barn with no socialisation or sunlight.

    Reply
  • bet louis will end up in bgt if that Simon Cowell reads this story..

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  • Anyone who pays money for a dog is contributing to the puppy farm industry, I can’t understand why people buy dogs when there are so many looking for new homes. To me, loving an animal is as unconditional as loving a sibling or a child, you don’t love them any more or less because they’re a particular breed/size/colour. As regards tail docking, a vet on tv compared it to cutting child’s finger off and there’s no reason for it except for cosmetic reasons. Just because certain breeds have always had their tails docked doesn’t mean it’s right. A pet is a living, breathing creature, not a fashion accessory.

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  • Just wondering what is the maximum fine/jail that can happen to the perpetrators of this? Am I right in thinking its so insignificant that there is no deterrent for repeat offending? That needs to be looked at

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  • excellent news SOME great people out there!!! well done!!!!!! :-)

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  • Poor pups. We’d have to imagine this is only a small percentage of dogs who probably get taken abroad every year. And WHAT sort of dogs were they, thought I heard some were Jack Russells? For “thousands of pounds”?! Don’t think so!

    Reply
  • Dagnabbit, thought my post hadn’t gone thru so re-wrote it and lo and behold it’s now popped up twice! Frustrating!

    Reply
  • Anyone that pays for a dog is contributing to the puppy farm industry. I can’t understand why anyone would buy a dog when so many are looking for new homes. To me loving a pet is as unconditional as loving a silbling or a child, you don’t love them any more or less because they’re a particular breed/size/colour. As for tail-docking, a vet on tv once described it as being similar to cutting a child’s finger off and there’s no reason to do it except for cosmetic reasons. Just because certain breeds have always had their tails docked and that’s what we’re used to seeing doesn’t make it right.

    Reply
  • Is micro chipping not a legal requirement in Ireland? And if it’s not, why on earth not?

    Reply

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