NORTHERN IRELAND
Assembly Backs Ban On Sale, Use And Ownership Of Aversive Animal Training Tools
The Northern Ireland Assembly has backed calls for a ban on the sale, use and ownership of aversive training tools for domestic animals, including shock collars, prong collars and choke chains.
MLAs debated the issue on 5 October, with the original motion calling for legislation to prohibit the use and possession of aversive training tools. An amendment went further, calling for a ban on their sale, use and ownership as part of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ Animal Welfare Pathway.
The amendment was carried by 37 votes to 26 and the amended motion was subsequently agreed by the Assembly. It also calls for the Agriculture Minister to work with the Justice Minister on penalties and adequate resources for enforcement.
Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir told the Assembly that a consultation on animal welfare reform had been completed and responses analysed, but said careful consideration was still being given to the detail, including possible exemptions.
The vote does not itself introduce a legal ban, but it puts the Assembly formally behind further restrictions and increases pressure for legislation to follow.
PHILIPPINES
Police Given 72 Hours To Identify Person Allegedly Seen Beating Dog
Police in Angeles City have been urged to identify within 72 hours the person allegedly shown beating a dog in a video circulating on social media.
Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo Pogi Lazatin Jr called for an investigation after footage circulated on 5 October which reportedly showed a dog being beaten inside the premises of Systems Plus College Foundation.
Reports accompanying the footage alleged that the dog was left bleeding from the head and was subsequently placed inside an empty water drum.
Lazatin has asked the Angeles City Police Office, city government and college administration to investigate and pursue charges if the allegations are established.
The case remains under investigation, and the allegations surrounding the circumstances shown in the footage have not yet been established through legal proceedings.
USA
Three People Charged Months After 78 Animals Removed From New York Property
Three people have been arrested following an animal cruelty investigation that began after authorities responded to reports of seriously ill puppies at a property in Carlisle, New York.
Schoharie County Sheriff’s deputies first attended the property on 24 July. Three puppies requiring emergency veterinary treatment were initially removed, before authorities returned and executed a search warrant.
In total, 78 animals were removed: 17 puppies, 12 dogs, nine cats, 31 birds, five chickens and four horses. Several puppies were believed to have parvovirus and five subsequently died.
Following veterinary examinations and a continuing investigation, three people were arrested between 19 September and 3 October. They face multiple counts under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law relating to alleged animal mistreatment and failure to provide proper sustenance.
All three were released on appearance tickets and the allegations will now proceed through the court system.
INDIA
More Than 75,000 Dogs Sterilised And Vaccinated Across Uttar Pradesh
More than 75,000 dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated across Uttar Pradesh’s 17 municipal corporations in just over five months, according to figures released by state authorities.
Officials reported that 75,006 dogs underwent sterilisation and vaccination between 1 April and 15 September under the Animal Birth Control programme.
The figures were reviewed during a meeting examining implementation of the National Livestock Digital Mission, registration of street dogs and progress of Animal Birth Control programmes.
Authorities say ABC programmes are operating across all 17 municipal corporations, while work is also under way to improve the registration and digital mapping of animals.
The figures provide a significant example of large-scale sterilisation and vaccination being used as part of street-dog population management rather than relying solely on removal. As always, headline sterilisation numbers alone do not demonstrate the effectiveness of a programme; coverage, continuity, vaccination rates, geographic concentration and population monitoring are all important when assessing its impact.
AUSTRALIA
76 Dogs Removed From Sydney Property Following Welfare Concerns
Seventy-six dogs have been removed from a property in Naremburn on Sydney’s Lower North Shore after rescuers found them living in what has been described as squalid conditions.
The dogs, predominantly small breeds, are now receiving care, with rescue organisations facing the considerable task of veterinary assessment, rehabilitation and eventually finding suitable homes.
The scale of the case has also prompted questions about how such a large population of dogs could accumulate at a suburban property without intervention occurring sooner.
Cases involving very large numbers of animals can present particularly difficult welfare challenges. Removal from a property may be only the beginning: veterinary treatment, behavioural assessment, rehabilitation and responsible rehoming can continue long after the initial rescue operation.
AUSTRALIA
RSPCA Investigates Greyhound Adoption Centre Following Disease Outbreak
An RSPCA investigation is under way following a disease outbreak at Greyhound Racing South Australia’s adoption centre at Angle Park.
Three greyhounds have reportedly been infected with campylobacter, while another 18 dogs were potentially exposed. Biosecurity measures have been introduced at the centre, including quarantine, increased sanitation and the use of personal protective equipment.
The RSPCA investigation is also examining allegations concerning the sedation of affected greyhounds. Those claims remain allegations and Greyhound Racing South Australia had not commented on them in the reporting reviewed by Dog Desk Animal Action.
The incident comes while South Australia’s greyhound racing industry remains under increased scrutiny following previous welfare concerns and a programme of reforms. The state government has also committed to establishing a new body responsible for welfare and integrity oversight within the industry.
End of Bulletin