On Wednesday a group of ARAN members joined outspoken human rights campaigner and former 2011 presidential candidate, Senator David Norris, as he delivered a giant “Postcard” to the office of the Minister for Environment, Phil Hogan. Whilst Senator Norris held the “postcard” for media photographers, ARAN members held placards of a helpless puppy with the tagline ‘We Hear Your Cries and We’re Coming to Help’. Watch exciting footage of the event here. Articles also appeared in the Metro Herald, Broadsheet and more.

 Ireland is known as Europe’s puppy farming capital and this is for a very good reason. Hundreds of puppy farms operate across the country without any laws to govern their activities — the only hope of securing governance over these operations is the ‘Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2010’. For the last year ARAN has been working to ensure the legislation is signed into law and TV3’s recent ‘Animal A&E Investigates’ programme showed the need for the legislation to be enforced. The heartbreaking footage showed unscrupulous puppy breeders keeping female pregnant dogs in damp, dull, dirty and unhygienic ‘sheds’, where the animals appeared filthy, thirsty, hungry and deeply traumatised. Now that we have the Welfare of Greyhounds Act as part of Irish law, we must ensure the Minister signs the ‘Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2010’ into law without delay.

ARAN believes there should no puppy farms or dog breeding operations existing in Ireland or anywhere in the world, considering that tens of thousands of helpless and homeless dogs are killed in Irish pounds as well as millions around the world - there should be no need to breed an animal when there are thousands awaiting death in pounds and thousands desperate for a good home in many rescue shelters across Ireland and around the world. ARAN’s message is always to adopt, never buy, and always spay and neuter your animal.

As always, thanks to our supporters and members who ensure that cruelty to animals in this country and around the world does not go unnoticed or unchallenged.