Causeway Coast & Glens Council opposes DAERA plans for puppy and kitten owner register
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council says it opposes Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) plans for a register for puppy and kitten owners.
At September’s Environmental Services Committee meeting members approved a consultation response to a DAERA proposal to introduce a registration system for persons selling, giving away, or transferring ownership of puppies and kittens aged under six months old.
The purpose of the new rules is to end third-party sales - a sale that occurs when the seller has not bred the animal themselves but has obtained the puppy or kitten from a breeder so that they can sell it onwards.
The new rules will ask owners to apply to their local council to be entered into a Register of Sellers and Suppliers of Puppies and Kittens.
Registration will mean that, for the period of one year, the registered person can sell, give away, or otherwise transfer the ownership of all the puppies and kittens bred by him/her, which were born at the registered address during that year.
In their response, Council said they did not agree that sellers should be required to register with their local authority as other reforms, such as a dog breeding legislation review and the regulation of rescue centres, should be prioritised instead.
The Causeway Coast and Glens Council response added: “While council supports any legislation aimed at improving animal welfare, council does not agree that councils should be mandated to take on this new legal requirement.
“Instead, council recommends further exploration of alternative organisations to facilitate this responsibility, such as DAERA itself, the USPCA, and other animal welfare charities.
“Additionally, council advocates for the establishment of a centralised registration system for Northern Ireland, similar to the scheme managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the Republic of Ireland.
“This proposal reflects a concerning and growing trend of central government devolving enforcement responsibilities to local government without a corresponding transfer of adequate resources, powers, or legal protections.
“Councils cannot continue to absorb additional responsibilities by default, especially when they fall outside core remit and expertise,” concluded the response.