A number of famous Irish and international stars are taking action against puppy farming in Ireland.
According to the Irish Mail on Sunday, major stars such as actors Jamie Dornan and Colin Farrell, as well as The X Factor’s Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Sinitta, musician Jim Corr, activist Ali Hewson and model Rosanna Davison have called on the Irish government to put a stop to “this trade in canine misery”.
In a strongly worded statement, supporting calls by TDs to end puppy farming, it’s reported that “tens of thousands” of puppies are bred in “cruel and inhumane conditions, on industrial-scale puppy farms” before being sold to buyers, mostly from the UK.
“Typically, puppy farm dogs are bred like battery farm animals,” it reads.
Taking action: Animal lover Rosanna Davison has also called for the Irish government to put an end to puppy farming | INSTAGRAM
The statement comes after Independent TDs Clare Daly, Maureen O’Sullivan and Tommy Broughan called for a greater enforcement of animal welfare law.
Another star supporting the campaign is Eurovision singer Linda Martin, who hopes that international criticism will put pressure on the Irish government to put a stop to this “shameful” industry.
“Ireland is known through the world as the puppy farm capital of Europe. It’s appalling that we have to shame them into doing something,” she said.
The support from various celebrities comes after the Cavan County Council caused outrage this week after granting retention planning permission for a puppy farm that was the subject of a BBC Panorama programme last May.
Warning:Â Some readers may find the footage below upsetting:
The programme filmed breeding bitches who had or were about to give birth confined in wooden crates on Ray Cullivan’s puppy farm. In even more shocking news, the puppy farm passed six council inspections despite repeated concerns expressed by the ISPCA over the conditions.
Ray Cullivan’s farm is licensed by Cavan County Council for 300 breeding bitches, and BBC presenter Sam Poling said she was “haunted” by what she had witnessed on the farm.
Cavan County Council’s decision to grant Cullivan’s retention planning permission is being appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Objectors include 35 leading musicians, actors and TV personalities, six TDs and 60 rescue centres from Ireland and the UK.
Objectors are seeking a public hearing, where they intend on calling international environmental and animal welfare experts to the hearing.
