The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, has unveiled new legislation on animal welfare which will come into effect today.
According to RTE News, the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 includes provisions for increased power for authorised officers to investigate complaints of animal cruelty and stricter penalties on convictions.
The new penalties will include powers for the judge to ban a person from owning an animal and a maximum five-year-sentence.
The legislation allows officers from animal welfare groups to investigate complaints in private homes and impose on-the-spot fines.
It is now a criminal offence to attend a dog fight.
Speaking about the legislation on RTE's Morning Ireland, Mr. Coveney commented: "This allows both the guards and our vets, and indeed authorised officers that are trained from welfare organisations, to intervene, to fine people potentially, to take cases to court.
"We now have given significantly more powers to judges, who can for example ban somebody from owning an animal in the future if they deem them unsuitable."
The Department of Agriculture has a hotline if you would like to report any instances of animal cruelty. The number is 1850 211 990.
The thrilling new Irish novel you won’t be able to put down
It’s definitely a fan favourite! Viewers cannot get enough of Fitzy’s Irish lingo on the show, and his most recent comment has left fans wanting more. The GAA star, who is currently coupled up with police detective, Lola Deal, offered his mate Tommy Murphy some thoughtful advice after his actions left his partner Ellie ‘fuming’. […]
Gill Perdue is back with one of her best books yet If you’re looking for a gripping Irish novel to delve into this week, then look no further than All of Them Lied by Gill Perdue. lkt Gill Perdue is one of the finest Irish crime writers, and we couldn’t be happier to see her […]
We’re convinced! Many Fans were left disappointed when Irish influencer Charleen Murphy was missing from the original Love Island line-up ahead of this season. And after the first few “bombshell” arrivals of the season, fans are beginning to lose hope that their favourite content creator will be making an appearance on this year’s show. However, die-hard […]
