DSPCA

Ireland's oldest & largest animal rescue. We rescue, rehabilitate & rehome cats, dogs, equine & other

14/02/2025

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Share a photo of your favourite valentine with us 🐾

12/02/2025

DSPCA Dating ♥️

This Valentine’s Day join us for a heartwarming event dedicated to helping our wonderful animals find their perfect match.

Whether you’re looking for a loyal companion, a playful friend, or a gentle soul in need of snuggles, we have the perfect pet waiting just for you. While some may be overlooked due to their age, size, or medical needs, every one of them has just as much love to give.

Event Highlights:

♥️ Meet & Greet: Interact with over 50 adoptable animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and more.

♥️ Pet Matchmaker: A dedicated team member will be on hand to help potential adopters find their ideal pet.

♥️ Kissing Booth: A fun and quirky way to get up close with some of our adorable animals – will it be a kiss, a hissing, or a nibble?

♥️ Sunset Walk (Weather Permitting): Join our DSPCA dogs for a peaceful sunset walk in our Memorial Garden.

♥️ Refreshments: Enjoy complimentary tea, coffee, and sweet treats in our reception area.

Free entry for all. Adoption fees apply.

11/02/2025

DSPCA Puppy Love Quiz Night ♥️

Our DSPCA Valentines Puppy Love Quiz is back for a second year running and we're super excited. Quiz-master extraordinaire Dara Quilty is back with us again and we're raising money for the DSPCA.

Taking place in our favourite dog friendly venue, Pye Dundrum it's sure to be the pawfect spot to show your love and support for animals who need help.

Tickets are now on sale https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/2025-dspca-puppy-love-quiz-night-tickets-1235943433079?aff=oddtdtcreator

They are priced PER TABLE, not per person, and there are 6-person, 4-person and 3-person tables available. Grab your friends, family, work pals and furry friends, and join us on Monday 24th February at 6:30pm.

08/02/2025

Something a little different to kickstart the weekend.

How incredibly lucky are we to have such an amazing person on team DSPCA! Thank you for all that you do for animal welfare.

“Elise balances her rugby career working as a Veterinary Director & surgeon at the DSPCA, & is a well-known face to many for her appearances on RTÉ TV series, ‘The Shelter: Animal SOS’.”

Link 🔗 in bio to read full article by Diarmuid Kearney.

©️

05/02/2025

Adoption should be forever 💔

Sponge Cake and Cobbler are Silkie guinea pigs. They were adopted from us when they were just babies and sadly almost 2 years later they were returned.

Their owner was going away on holidays and had no one to look after them and sadly the kids were bored of them.

Adopting any pet in a huge commitment. We understand that sometimes circumstances can change making it difficult to look after your pet but holidays and boredom should not be reasons to give up on them. We have a duty of care for all the animals adopted from the DSPCA to make sure they are going to their forever homes and it's heartbreaking for staff to see this happening.

Sponge Cake and Cobbler were so nervous and we’re just so glad they had each other while they adjusted to a new environment. We do have a lovely family lined up to adopt them so thankfully they wont be here for too long.

04/02/2025

❗️Homes needed ❗️

To find out information about all the dogs in this post, please visit https://www.dspca.ie/adoption-dogs-landing-page/

We are full of gorgeous dogs longing for loving homes 🐶

Small, medium, large fun, shy, clever … there’s a rescue dog at the DSPCA for everyone 🐾

The is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 until 4pm and you do not need an appointment to visit. If you are unsure about the type of dog that will suit your lifestyle, our dog rehoming team will be there to guide you and find you the perfect match.

03/02/2025

A lovely Bank Holiday Monday read.

https://www.image.ie/self/until-now-there-has-been-one-baby-in-my-family-946884

My family is expanding this year. I will welcome a little human. Until now there has been only one baby in the house

02/02/2025

DSPCA Easter Camps 2025

Join us this Easter mid term for our fun & interactive Kids Camp!

As education is extremely important to us at the DSPCA we will include some educational presentations to help educate the younger generation on responsible dog ownership, caring for animals and animal safety and welfare and they will get to meet some of the animals on-site at the shelter.

We have introduced our dog training to the camps where the kids will become Junior Trainers demonstrating obedience classes, fun tricks, agility and enrichment for dogs.

All camps take place on site at the DSPCA in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, the camp is 10am – 3pm daily.

July & August dates are also available for booking.

https://www.dspca.ie/education/ -kids-camp-sec

02/02/2025

10 months ago this sweet girl was rescued by our inspectors after we received a call about an injured cat that was unable to use her back legs.

Matilda’s pelvis was broken in multiple places. After surgery she spent a lot of time recuperating in the shelter and then in a wonderful foster home.

She returned to the shelter to find a loving home but sadly no one showed any interest in her. She was extremely nervous and didn’t liked being handled. She hid away most of the day and our hearts were broken for her. In October she went to another foster home and to say they have been amazing is an understatement. For the last 3 months they have helped her so much!

Matilda needs to find a forever home and we really want to have a home lined up for her so that she doesn’t have to come back into a shelter environment as it’s too stressful for her 🥺

Below is a message from foster family ...

“Matilda has been a joy to have with us over these past few months. Although it took her a while to come out of her shell, she now has a fierce personality and very strong opinions about things. She LOVES food, and often goes to great lengths for a single morsel. She’s incredibly clean, bathes herself extensively and has never disturbed any of our possessions (even hanging laundry!). She much prefers her own toys, which she plays with in the evening during her ‘zoomy’ sessions.

Matilda will sit beside us on the couch or in our laps if there are treats involved. If she is feeling particularly friendly, she will stay there a while to benefit from you as a hot water bottle. In the evenings, we often sit down together to watch films. In this situation particularly, Matilda feels more like a housemate than just a pet. She has really worked her way into our hearts. If our situation was different, we would adopt her in a heartbeat. Whoever welcomes her into their home will be extremely lucky”.

Can you help Matilda? Please email [email protected] 🐱

02/02/2025

Burren is a shy 3 year old girl who came into the shelter as a stray with a sore paw. Thankfully it wasn’t anything too serious and it’s all healed now.

She was very nervous when she came in and hid in her pod for 2 days without using the litter tray once. Over the next few days she slowly began to come out of her shell.

Given the time and patience and with the right owner Burren will settle into a new environment. She’s a friendly girl once she knows and trusts you.

If you think Burren might be the right cat for you come up a meet her at the DSPCA 🐱

We are open Tuesday - Sunday from 12-4pm

02/02/2025

Catty La Belle is a stunning one year old girl looking for an experienced cat owner. She came into the shelter after she was found taking shelter in a warehouse from the recent storm.

She’s not used to people and will need a patient owner who will give her lots of time and space to settle. This girl deserves a safe place to call her own with access to the outdoors 🐱

If you can offer Catty a home please come and visit her.

We are open Tuesday - Sunday from 12-4pm.

01/02/2025

31/01/2025

Always so happy to be able to help other rescues when they need it 🐾

29/01/2025

⚠️ Urgent: For ALL XL Bully Owners

If you own an XL Bully you MUST register for a Certificate of Exemption BEFORE the 1st February 2025.

The certificate means you can keep your XL Bully at a particular location until the end of their natural life.

Visit link to find out what you need to do ➡️ https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e5d55-xl-bully-ban-ireland/

❗️NEUTERING
If your XL Bully (male or female) is not neutered you MUST book a neutering appointment BEFORE the 1st of February 2025. Please make sure you have booked your neutering appointment with your vet.

If you live in the Dublin area the DSPCA Mobile Vet Clinic can support owners of XL bullies to neuter your dog but you must register before the 1st of February to confirm eligibility.

Register with the DSPCA Mobile Vet Clinic ➡️ https://www.dspca.ie/mobile-vet-clinic/

26/01/2025

We have now launched our February Agility dates book your place ➡️ https://dspcadogtraining.ie/courses-for-your-dog/

23/01/2025

DSPCA URGES PUBLIC TO KEEP PETS SAFE DURING STORM ÉOWYN

Storm Éowyn is set to hit Ireland tomorrow, with potentially record-breaking status red winds. The DSPCA is urging pet and animal owners to take extra precautions in ensuring their animals stay safe during this time.

DO Not, under any circumstance leave pets outside.

Tips:

Make sure all pets are kept safe indoors.

Please ensure that all equine and farm animals are stabled/have access to shelter and that all fencing is secure.

Check that garden gates and fences are secure when letting pets out for a midnight wee. Consider keeping them on the lead, walking them before and after the storm, or going into the garden with them with a torch.

Remove any loose objects such as ornaments etc in gardens, as these may be lifted by wind and cause damage to pets/animals nearby.

Ensure your pets are wearing collars with up-to-date identification tags, or are microchipped. This helps reunite lost pets with their owners more quickly if they have run away during stormy conditions.

Prepare a pet emergency kit that includes food, water, medications, a leash, enrichment toys and important documents like vaccination records and include a pet carrier for cats and smaller dogs and pets.

Have extra blankets ready for warmth, should power/heating be affected.

Be cautious of standing water after storms. It may contain harmful bacteria or chemicals that pets can ingest.

Suzanne McGovern, Director of Operations at the DSPCA said: “Storms and heavy winds are unpredictable and can be very frightening for animals. It’s important that all pet and animal owners put the necessary measures in place to take care of them, and to ensure utmost safety.”

23/01/2025

‼️Public Notice‼️

"We can expect very difficult and dangerous travelling conditions on Friday so please follow advice from Met Éireann and your local authorities and stay indoors." Deputy Head of Forecasting Liz Coleman.

Due to severe weather warnings, the shelter will be closed to the public on Friday 24th January.

⚠️ Pet Safety ⚠️

No family pets should be left outside - PLEASE bring your pets inside your home where they will be safe with you.

Please insure that all equine and farm animals are stabled/have shelter and that all fencing is secure.

Address

Mount Venus Road
Dublin
DUBLIN16

Website

https://dspca.givingpage.org/main

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Videos

Angel 💔 It’s hard to put into words just how we felt today as it was the day we had to say farewell to Angel. We first met this ray of sunshine in August 2022 when sadly her owner had to go into care and couldn’t look after her anymore. Angel was loved by her owner and because she was such a good girl she got lots of treats. Unfortunately years of yummy treats resulted in her becoming extremely overweight. When she arrived her little legs could hardly carry her. She was 12 years old and in a lot of discomfort. Angel was put on a closely monitored diet and started doing daily exercise. Slowly but surely Angle lost weight and we could see that she was much happier. She was so loved by the cattery team and they simply couldn’t part with her and so on the 16th of March 2023 they officially adopted her. She very quickly became the boss of the cattery and lay on the heated floor waiting to meet and greet her public. She loved being fussed over and welcomed every cuddle. Earlier this morning the cattery team gathered around her for one last time as she gently slipped away. Her kind heart was ready to go and be a special angel over the rainbow bridge 🌈 Angel, you will be forever in our hearts and the cattery won’t be the same without you. We miss you today, tomorrow and always 🧡 #dspca #cats #angel #love #rainbowbridge

Head veterinary surgeon Elise spoke to @independent.ie about keeping pets safe in the cold weather. #dspca #pets #petsafety #weather

18 years waiting for the perfect pal 🐢 When Keane was rescued from a park we had no idea there was a very special human out there waiting 18 years to call him her own. It’s been a long road for Keane, the Chinese softshell turtle. He was found abandoned in a park and would certainly not have survived alone. He spent 7 months in the shelter waiting to find a home. We posted appeals for him and he was a big hit with the media with his story being picked up by @dublinlive_ Dublin Live @independent.ie @extradotie @irishcentral and The Irish Sun to name but a few. Keane was adopted on the 8th of December by a wonderful human who had been waiting 18 years to rescue a little guy just like him 🧡 Keane, now called Bao is thriving in his new home and loves interacting with his owner. She said “he’s the best” Thank you to everyone who shared his story, we couldn’t be happier for him. #animalrescue #rescuestory #turtle #dspca #beagoodhuman #animalcharity

Well folks, Santa Paws worked his magic making it through storm Darragh arriving just in time to see all the children and their 4 legged friends 🐾 It really was a magical day and we want to thank everyone who came along and made it so special. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces and waggly tails enjoying their time at the DSPCA with all the staff and our AMAZING volunteers who yet again did us so proud. We hope everyone had as much fun as we did. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas 🎄… until next year! #dspca #santa #christmas #dogs #santapaws

Yuki has been waiting 105 days at the shelter for someone to adopt her 🥹 She is breaking our hearts and we are reaching out to all our friends and followers to help us find her a home. She’s only a year and 5 months old and a shelter is no place for such a young active girl. She’s a playful girl and would be a great addition to a home with another dog of similar energy to play with. She gets so excited when she sees humans coming to spend time with her. Yuki is incredibly sweet, and has so much love to share with the right family. She’s very smart and her new family should continue with training and give her lots of mental stimulation. We have agility classes at the DSPCA and we’re sure she’d be top of her class! Yuki would love to be part of an active family that ideally has experience with her breeds (Staffy Collie cross). Please help us find a home for Yuki #petadoption #dspca #dog #rescuedog #staffy #collie

Tiger & Spike 🧡 This adorable little pair are just 2 of the Guinea Pigs waiting to be adopted. Likes: Snoozing on fluffy blankets Dislikes: When they don’t get a daily treat They would suit a first time guinea pig family who are looking to welcome some furry friends into their home. These two are well handled and very sweet. Come and visit them and their pals at the shelter 🐾🧡 #dspca #guineapig #petadoption #guineapigs

Oscar’s owner had to move house and sadly couldn’t take Oscar with him 🙁 When Oscar arrived he was quite overweight. Over the last 3 months he has been getting lots of exercise and he’s feeling so much better and full of energy. Oscar is always ready for a walk and a game of tug. He is best suited as the only dog in his new home and with older teenagers. Is there anyone out there who can offer him a home to call his own where he can stay forever? You can visit Oscar at the DSPCA. The shelter is open Tues-Sun from 12-4pm 🐾 #dspca #petadoption #dog #adoptme

Stocked up and ready fur your orders 🎁 When you buy from our charity Christmas shop, you are supporting animals in need providing food, shelter & veterinary care for them this Christmas 🐾 Link to online shop in bio 🔗 Thank you for your support 🧡 #christmas #dspca #gift #animalcharity #christmasshop

Pepper wars on a Sunday 😄 Staring: Penny in the background keeping well out of the way. Leila who started off with a juicy pepper all to herself before her sister Luna jumped in 🌶️ They finally settled on sharing 🧡 We have lots of super cute and fun guinea pigs for adoption. They make wonderful pets and we will provide you with all the information you need to care for them properly. The shelter is open to visitors Tuesday -Sunday from 12-4pm. You can view all the animals available for adoption, including these three sisters, on our website. See link in bio 🔗 #dspca #guineapig #petadoption

Our Christmas Shop in fully stocked with gifts for everyone 🎁 Our Christmas cards and 2025 Calendars are hot off the press and they look amazing 🎄 We have gifts for all the good humans out there and of course all the very good pets too 🐾 When you buy from our online charity Christmas shop or in-store at our shelter in Rathfarnham Dublin 16, you are supporting the rescue work that we do and helping animals in need 🧡 Start shopping now 🔗 Link in bio Thank you for your support 🐾

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History of the DSPCA

The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established in 1840 and is the oldest and largest animal charity in the Republic of Ireland.

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 the 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.