Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Councillor Alex Baird, with from left to right; Emma Dove-Horgan, Erne Veterinary Group, Katie Taylor, Erne Veterinary Group; Heather Young, Erne Veterinary Group; Nicola Patton; who rehomed Jock the dog from the Council dog pound and received a free health check voucher for Jock; and Jock the dog.
November has seen a 117% increase in the number of dogs destroyed in Fermanagh compared to the previous month.
In October four stray dogs were collected and humanely destroyed and eight were destroyed at the owner’s request, but in the following month those figures jumped dramatically with a total of eight stray dogs put down and 18 unwanted dogs destroyed.
Director of Regulatory Services at Fermanagh District Council Dessie Reid was at a loss to explain the sharp rise in the figures, but did stress the importance of having your dog chipped.
“When they’re not chipped there is no way of finding the owners and no one is collecting them. If the owner does have the dog chipped the dogs are usually collected.”
The period that a dog is kept by the council as a stray before it is destroyed by a contracted vet is around three to four days.
With regards to unwanted dogs Mr Reid explained that dogs that are ill or have attacked a person are not included in the figures.
“The decision is of the owner’s making to have the dog put down,” he commented.
He told the Herald that these figures were not overly high for this time of year and would expect these to increase after Christmas.
“Maybe after Christmas they may increase, it will interesting to see to see if that is the case.”
Local vet Maeve Lunny, of the Brook Veterinary Clinic spoke of the heartache for owners who are forced to put their beloved animal down and her own anguish at ending the life of a healthy dog.
“It is difficult when they’re healthy, there is no question about that, it isn’t difficult when they’re very ill or very elderly. On those occasions we are almost doing the dog a service if it is suffering.
“No vet likes to put down a healthy animal, that’s just a fact of life, but sometimes there isn’t a choice.
““For families who have to have a dog put down of course it is heart-breaking, as for a lot of people the dog is a family member, even if it is a dog they have only had for a short while it is always difficult.
“If they’re not crying most would be near to tears, it would be very, very hard for them, effectively losing a member of the family. Nobody wants to put an animal down, but sometimes they’re free to their animal go.”
Thankfully Maeve said she has not noticed an increase in dogs being put down, and said people are increasingly trying to find new homes for unwanted dogs.
“Most of the people that can’t keep dogs try to re-home them through the Bright Eyes animal sanctuary and we would try not to put them to sleep.
“Most that go to the pound have health and behaviour problems and couldn’t be re-homed, efforts would be made, but it is very difficult if there are previous problems.”
On the mouth of Christmas Fermanagh District Council is urging people to think twice before buying a dog as a Christmas gift and to remember it is a life-long commitment.
Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Councillor Alex Baird, said: “While a dog can be a wonderful companion, they require a great deal of time and attention.
Deciding to buy a dog is a decision that should not be taken lightly.”
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