86 dogs rescued from illegal puppy farm in Roscommon

A number of the animals were found to be suffering from eye conditions, mange and ear infections.

Eighty-six dogs of various breeds – including 23 puppies – were removed from an unlicensed dog breeding establishment in County Roscommon by ISPCA Inspectors recently, following a visit made by the Inspector and the county dog warden. It's understood that the dogs were kept in very poor conditions with only one person allocated to care for all of them. Nineteen of the dogs involved were suffering from a variety of health issues including mange, eye conditions and ear infections. They are now receiving veterinary treatment. A further 17 puppies were removed from a house on Thursday, where the owner had allowed his dogs to breed 'without consideration for the consequences.' All of the dogs will need to be vaccinated, neutered and microchipped before being responsibly rehomed in Ireland. The dogs – which included a number of Shih Tzu’s, Cocker Spaniels, Jack Russell terriers, Pugs, French bulldogs and other various mixed breeds – are currently in safe hands and being cared for at the ISPCA’s animal centres in Longford and Donegal. Due to the intense nature of their rescue, they will not be available for rehoming for several weeks. Twenty-five of the dogs have since been transferred to Dogs Trust. Dog breeders are required to be registered and licensed under the Dog Breeding Establishments (DBE) Act 2010 if they have six or more female dogs over the age of six months and capable of breeding. However, recently revised guidelines associated with the DBE Act and the Department for Rural and Community Development (DRCD) will not come into force until January 2019. “The ISPCA is grateful to have secured the removal of all dogs from this unlicensed premises," Senior ISPCA Inspector Kevin McGinley said of the rescue. "With so many dogs in our care, we are appealing to the public to support us financially with this challenge and by offering responsible homes for the pups and dogs. "I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Roscommon County Council and the county Dog Warden for their assistance.” Since the discovery, the ISPCA is asking the public to report their suspicions about unlicensed dog breeders to their National Animal Cruelty Helpline 1890 515515 or to the local authority. The ISPCA is also asking pet owners to ensure that they get their animals neutered to avoid unwanted litters. The 17 puppies removed from a private dwelling were the result of the owner failing to get his dogs neutered. Puppy farms are serious issues between Ireland and the UK. An undercover SSPCA inspector spoke about the ongoing issue following a recent bust which saw 27 puppies rescued from Scotland port and returned to Ireland. "Unfortunately, the puppy trade is big business in Scotland with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, in particular from large-scale puppy farms," they began. "They are then sold on at huge profit by the dealers. When trafficked pups reach their new owner via the dealers they often develop diseases such as parvovirus and giardia. "Often the young dogs die from these diseases which can be extremely distressing for the owners.”