Causeway Coast Dog Rescue urges Minister to fix animal welfare reporting failures
Causeway Coast Dog Rescue (CCDR) has issued a formal call to the Environment Minister to urgently reform how government departments and local councils handle animal welfare reports by public.
CCDR manager Tara Cunningham made the call to Andrew Muir MLA, who is Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, following a response from his office to a complaint submitted by Ms Cunningham expressing concern over her experiences when reporting cruelty to animals.
“We are facing systemic failures, not only in safeguarding animal welfare, but also in upholding public confidence in the system,” Ms. Cunningham said.
“When members of the public report animal welfare concerns, they are, in fact, reporting potential criminal offences. These reports should not be dismissed or categorised as mere ‘complaints’.
"Individuals who come forward with such information are witnesses to potential crimes and should be treated accordingly, with their statements formally recorded and appropriate support provided. Recognising and responding to these reports with the seriousness they deserve is essential to restoring trust and ensuring accountability within the animal welfare system.
“I also fail to understand how informed decisions are made to assign resources or appropriate finance if data collection is scarce,” stated Ms Cunnigham.
“We need more data collection, particularly involving abuse towards farmed and companion animals. We need to know how these investigations are managed, and how public are being supported when making a report and the actual outcome to protect the animal… ie closure.
"What is being done to reduce and remove abuse? And to be transparent, why the most horrendous cases are not always being taken to court for prosecution or not achieving the full extent of the court service.
“Reports by public to councils to report a potential crime are often met with no reference number, no updates, and vague replies like ‘it’s a court case’ by government officers to public, even though they are still mid investigation. This lack of transparency and accountability leaves the public unsupported and animals at risk,” said Ms.Cunningham.
She criticised the absence of a formal tracking system, stating that even basic follow-up questions are ignored, despite the public being encouraged to report neglect and abuse and illegal breeders.
“We regularly hear from people who feel dismissed. Often, no action is taken, or it’s unclear if a case is being progressed at all. We are being contacted by public to report farm cruelty as well as cruelty to companion animals, as they are unsure what to do or who to go to.”
For the past three years, CCDR has been calling for a system similar to the PSNI’s, where reports are logged, tracked, and assigned a reference number, with appropriate updates provided to the caller.
Additional issues raised for consideration include the lack of microchip scanners for PSNI officers during out-of-hours incidents so they can scan dogs for ownership details.
"As a charity we will always support any investigation and help where we can but police are the point of contact during evenings, weekends and holidays relating to animal welfare issues or strays.”