Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has launched a public consultation for the development of a new animal welfare strategy to cover the next five years.
Between now and 2 January, members of the public and stakeholders, including farming interests and animal welfare groups, are invited to provide feedback, comment and recommendations to the Department of Agriculture on the new Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.
Welfare issues include responsible dog ownership and sheep worrying as well as the broader ownership and treatment of animals.
The current strategy, adopted in 2020, saw funding to charities increase from €2.4 million to more than €6m last year.
It also led to the introduction of a law banning fur farming and the establishment of the first chair of Animal Welfare and Veterinary Ethics at UCD School of Veterinary Medicine.
Minister Martin Heydon said the bar "continues to rise" with regard to "how society values and treats animals".
He added that Ireland is on "a positive upward trajectory, but I want to hear from all interested parties as to how our next animal welfare strategy can put us on a best-in-class footing with comparator countries whilst maintaining the progress made under the current strategy".
The initiative covers farmed animals, companion animals and other pets, as well as animals engaged in sporting or leisure activities.
Speaking at the launch of the public consultation at the newly-formed National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) in Rathfarnham in Dublin, the minister also confirmed around €2m in funding for 2026 for local authorities to allow for the retention or acquisition of additional dog wardens.
Fall in number of dogs surrendered
Along with announcing the public consultation, the Department of Agriculture also released statistics in relation to dog ownership for last year.
It said that the number of licences issued reached over 200,000 for the first time in four years, while the number of dogs surrendered to local authority pounds/shelters fell in 2023 and in 2024.
There had been a spike in the number of dogs being surrendered during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, roughly half of all dog attacks last year (48%) involved a restricted breed.
The department's figures also show incidents of livestock worrying by dogs - mainly affecting sheep - rose by 4% in 2024.
