DSPCA
Encyclopedia
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a registered charity, established in 1840 to prevent cruelty to animals
and is now Ireland's largest animal welfare
organisation.
•Providing animal ambulance service to rescue sick and injured animals.
•Caring for animals at the shelter in Rathfarnham
.
•Finding new homes for the animals.
•Providing advice and information to the public on pet care and animal related queries.
•Providing accessible veterinary treatment at mobile clinics.
•Providing educational information and an information service, colleges and youth groups.
•Providing career guidance advice for those interested in working with animals.
•Working on legislative changes to improve protection for animals.
.
In its early days the Society was known as the Dublin Auxiliary of the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals and it was founded the year the RSPCA
received Royal Patronage, over the years it has had many names including "The Dublin Home for Starving and Forsaken Cats".
The Society was based at Grand Canal Quay
in Dublin City from its formation in 1840 up until 1990, and generations of Dublin people were familiar with it as "The Dogs and Cats Home" and at times as "The Cats & Dogs Home".
In 1990 the Society moved to Potterton Restfields at Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham
, a suburb of Dublin. The land was bequeathed to the Society in the 1930s as a place to graze retired working horses. In 2003 the Society moved to its new premises on Mount Venus
Road, Rathfarnham where state-of-the-art facilities were built to continue the work of the Society. The Dublin SPCA continues to care for the sick, injured and cruelly treated animals in Dublin city and county.
It is the only animal welfare charity in the city that cares for all animals, domestic and wild.
In 2010 the Dublin SPCA has commenced work on a new unique sustainable charity model for animal welfare. It commenced the construction of a large Veterinary Clinic, a Pet Boarding Centre and a Dog Park at the Dublin SPCA shelter. The new Pet Boarding Centre opened in November 2010 and the Vet Clinic is scheduled to open in January 2011 with the Dog Park opening later in 2011.
.
Opened in 2003, it is a state-of-the-art facility offering shelter and care to a wide variety of animals including more commonly dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, goats, cows, pigs, rabbits, ferrets, gerbils, budgies, snakes, terrapins and all manner of farmyard fowl. The centre is also a rest stop for a number of injured and young wildlife awaiting release including swan
s, fox
es, badger
s and small birds.
s whose owners are in receipt of welfare benefit.
The Inspectors' primary role is as follows:
•To investigate complaints of cruelty and neglect
.
•To provide guidance and education to animal owners where necessary.
•To initiate prosecutions for offences.
•To attend to sick and injured stray animals or those which have been abandoned.
Cruelty to animals
Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse or animal neglect, is the infliction of suffering or harm upon non-human animals, for purposes other than self-defense. More narrowly, it can be harm for specific gain, such as killing animals for food or for their fur, although opinions differ with...
and is now Ireland's largest animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
organisation.
Activity
•Investigating suspected cruelty and where appropriate prosecuting people who inflict cruelty on animals.•Providing animal ambulance service to rescue sick and injured animals.
•Caring for animals at the shelter in Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
.
•Finding new homes for the animals.
•Providing advice and information to the public on pet care and animal related queries.
•Providing accessible veterinary treatment at mobile clinics.
•Providing educational information and an information service, colleges and youth groups.
•Providing career guidance advice for those interested in working with animals.
•Working on legislative changes to improve protection for animals.
History
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established in 1840 and is the oldest and largest animal charity in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
In its early days the Society was known as the Dublin Auxiliary of the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals and it was founded the year the RSPCA
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals...
received Royal Patronage, over the years it has had many names including "The Dublin Home for Starving and Forsaken Cats".
The Society was based at Grand Canal Quay
Grand Canal Dock
Grand Canal Dock is an area in Ringsend near Dublin city centre, surrounding the Grand Canal Docks, an enclosed harbour or docking area between the River Liffey and the Grand Canal...
in Dublin City from its formation in 1840 up until 1990, and generations of Dublin people were familiar with it as "The Dogs and Cats Home" and at times as "The Cats & Dogs Home".
In 1990 the Society moved to Potterton Restfields at Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
, a suburb of Dublin. The land was bequeathed to the Society in the 1930s as a place to graze retired working horses. In 2003 the Society moved to its new premises on Mount Venus
Mount Venus
Mount Venus is a sacred megalithic site in Edmondstown, County Dublin, Ireland on the Mount Venus Road. It is a national heritage site....
Road, Rathfarnham where state-of-the-art facilities were built to continue the work of the Society. The Dublin SPCA continues to care for the sick, injured and cruelly treated animals in Dublin city and county.
It is the only animal welfare charity in the city that cares for all animals, domestic and wild.
In 2010 the Dublin SPCA has commenced work on a new unique sustainable charity model for animal welfare. It commenced the construction of a large Veterinary Clinic, a Pet Boarding Centre and a Dog Park at the Dublin SPCA shelter. The new Pet Boarding Centre opened in November 2010 and the Vet Clinic is scheduled to open in January 2011 with the Dog Park opening later in 2011.
Shelter
The Dublin SPCA shelter is on Mount Venus Road, RathfarnhamRathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
.
Opened in 2003, it is a state-of-the-art facility offering shelter and care to a wide variety of animals including more commonly dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, goats, cows, pigs, rabbits, ferrets, gerbils, budgies, snakes, terrapins and all manner of farmyard fowl. The centre is also a rest stop for a number of injured and young wildlife awaiting release including swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
s and small birds.
Mobile Clinic
The Dublin SPCA operates four mobile clinics which offer subsidised Veterinary treatment for petPet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
s whose owners are in receipt of welfare benefit.
Inspectorate
The Dublin SPCA has a trained force of Inspectors.The Inspectors' primary role is as follows:
•To investigate complaints of cruelty and neglect
Neglect
Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which a perpetrator is responsible to provide care for a victim who is unable to care for himself or herself, but fails to provide adequate care....
.
•To provide guidance and education to animal owners where necessary.
•To initiate prosecutions for offences.
•To attend to sick and injured stray animals or those which have been abandoned.