WOODEN CRATES USED to house dogs about to give birth or just after giving birth – which are banned by law – are no longer used at a Cavan puppy farm, County Council has said Cavan.
The Cullivan dog breeding facility in Co Cavan was the subject of a recent BBC Spotlight program – focusing on the large-scale breeding, exporting and sale of dogs in Ireland and the UK.
Footage from the program shows conditions at Cullivan’s farm, which has a license to breed up to 300 breeding dogs.
The program says most of the puppies bred on the farm are destined for the UK market – and one breeding dog can produce puppies worth Stg£5,000 (€6,500) a year.
The images contained images of dogs who had given birth or were about to give birth, kept in wooden crates (known as whelping crates) – which are prohibited under the Breeding Establishments Act 2010. dogs (DBE).
A dog kept in a birthing cage on the farm. ISPCA
ISPCA
The DBE Act sets out the legal framework for regulating dog breeders in Ireland. There are around 73 registered breeding farms in Ireland, according to the ISPCA.
In response to the program, the ISPCA said it inspected the Cullivan farm in November last year and was “shocked by the conditions”.
The charity said it was “particularly concerned” about the use of wooden crates and called on Cavan County Council (which is responsible for enforcing the DBE Act guidelines in its jurisdiction) to take action. measures to ensure that the crates are no longer used. used.
The crates are no longer used
In a statement, Cavan County Council said it inspected the Cullivan farm yesterday, as part of the BBC’s Spotlight programme.
“We would like to confirm that the farrowing boxes featured in the BBC program are no longer in use at this establishment,” the council said.
Types of crates used on the farm ISPCA
ISPCA
In a previous statement to the BBC Spotlight programme, the council said it had inspected the Cullivan farm six times in the past 12 months and found it “broadly consistent with current DBE legislation”.
The ISPCA welcomed the council’s statement regarding wooden crates, but said it had other issues with the nature of DBE law enforcement.
“We will continue to put pressure on local authorities to enforce existing legislation and take appropriate action when the breeder does not comply,” the organization said in a statement.