BYC.J.MCGINLEY

ORGANISED dog fighting where money changes hands as part of a criminal betting racket is on the increase in Donegal, a meeting in Letterkenny heard on Monday night.

ISPCA Inspector Kevin McGinley said such activity was "cruel, barbaric and had no place in a modern society".

He was speaking at a public meeting in Gleneaney House where up to forty people attended as part of plans to revive a branch of the ISPCA in the county. It also emerged that plans are being made to create the first animal sanctuary in the county on a 15 acre site, while calls were made for greater powers for inspectors to investigate allegations of cruelty.

Under the 1911 Protection of Animals Act ISPCA Inspectors are prohibited and restricted in their powers of investigation due to archaic 100 years-old legislation.

The meeting was attended by the National Chairperson of the ISPCA, Barbara Bent who is holding three consultation meetings in the county to form a new branch. Speaking during a graphic presentation of cruelty cases and the work of the ISPCA in Donegal Mr McGinley revealed there had been over 300 calls this year.

"We had 201 dogs rehomed and a further 47 are looking for homes. We also had calls relating to cats, horses, goats, an otter, swan and a crow that got trapped on an telephone line," he said.

CRUELTY

Highlighting some of the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on defenceless animals the ISPCA Inspector used graphic pictures to illustrate recent cases. The starvation of 19 sheep on a farm in Inver, the illegal castration of a pup in the Creeslough-Dunfanaghy area using a rubber lambing ring, and two dogs left to live in their own excrement were just some of the appalling cruelty cases highlighted during the meeting.

However, there were also some examples of animals 'rescued' such as a goat after being stranded 180 ft up a cliff face on Gola and a German Shepherd dog that had been abandoned for two days in the boot of a car.

During the year the ISPCA set up a Garda Liason Officer in each of the five garda districts for the first time. This means that a nominated garda can assist with the work of the ISPCA while links are also being strengthened with organisations such as the Department of Agriculture, Donegal County Council and Donegal Pet Rescue. Mr McGinley said plans are also at an advanced stage with TG4 to compile an educational video on the work of the ISPCA in Donegal.

Barbara Bent said she was confident from the turnout a revived branch will be formed in Donegal.

"We are funded through legacies, membership and fundraising but the ISPCA receives little government support. In Donegal there is a substantial trust fund and you have one of the four regional inspectors for the country here and he is doing terrific work," she said.

County Vet Mr Frank McRory said the ISPCA played a vital role working with the various statutory agencies such as government departments and local authorities.