Northern Ireland says "NO" to Animal Cruelty

16/04/2025

Another fox hunter?
This is absolutely heinous but it’ll make for some documentary if and when it’s found out these bloodsport enthusiasts have rallied together to protect one of their own.

While confirming the latest retirement, which came just weeks after two other officers did likewise, the PSNI did not answer all enquiries put to them. https://tinyurl.com/3bhsd9n5

16/04/2025

Join the HSA! 🦊🧡

15/04/2025

🚨 URGENT REHOME/FOSTER APPEAL 🚨

These two handsome boys were surrendered along with several others in Derry. Their siblings have all found homes but these last two darlings are in urgent need and at risk of being PTS by the vets currently holding them.

They’re both approximately 3 years old. Lovely personalities. They require an urgent fosterer or forever home.

If you have space for these little darlings, please send us a message and we can put you in touch with the lady involved in saving them, who will be collecting them tomorrow.

Genuine offers of interest only. No time wasters. These are real lives that need saving and time is of the essence.

14/04/2025

🐾𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 🐾

In rescues across Ireland, 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲. Most arrive as adolescents or adults, already showing behavioural issues - not due to who they are, but due to human failure to meet their needs.

📊 Currently, 49 German Shepherds are listed for sale on Dogs.ie (13 ads out of 352 total listings).
But across Ireland, we can safely say, more than triple that number are waiting in rescues for their forever home.

That means 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.

💔 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗽?
The top reasons include:

1️⃣𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 rooted in fear or overstimulation

2️⃣𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘀 misunderstood or mishandled

3️⃣𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 - families losing homes, unable to keep large dogs

4️⃣𝗜𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 with no plan for long-term care, possible medical treatment or training

German Shepherds are 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀 - but they’re also a protective breed, not bred to be carefree social butterflies. In the modern world, people often expect perfection. They want a dog they can take everywhere - cafés, parks, family gatherings - and imagine them happily mingling with strangers and other dogs. But the reality is, 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲.

They were developed to be alert, watchful, and cautious - traits that made them exceptional working dogs, but can be 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘀 "𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀" 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

When some German Shepherds are repeatedly exposed to unfamiliar people, chaotic environments, or pressured to behave like extroverted pets, it can bring them over their threshold and many shut down, react, or become defensive.
Not because they're bad dogs - but because they're being asked to go against their very nature.

We can’t demand perfection from dogs bred to be discerning. What they need is structure, understanding, and homes that respect their boundaries.

⚠️ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻, 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱
Many families believe, “We’d only trust a German Shepherd if we raised it from a puppy.”

But how many of the dogs now in pounds and shelters started as someone’s "perfect" puppy?

These dogs were brought into homes with high hopes, but the expectation of a “perfect” dog was based on an incomplete understanding - without considering their true nature and needs.

🧬 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 & 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱
Many German Shepherds are being bred by people who:

🐾Don’t health-test (hips, elbows, spine, etc.)

🐾Don’t assess temperament or suitability for family life

🐾Breed from dogs that are extremely protective or nervous, reactive parents

🐾Sell litters based on looks, not long-term welfare

🔁 These puppies are placed into unprepared homes. When their strong instincts emerge, families are caught off guard. The dog is labelled “aggressive,” when in reality, they were never bred or matched responsibly in the first place.

⛓️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

1️⃣Puppy is bought from an irresponsible breeder
2️⃣Behavioural or health issues arise
3️⃣Owner struggles to cope
4️⃣Dog is surrendered
5️⃣Dog could spends months in shelter - stressed, their physical and mental health starts declining
6️⃣May be rehomed… or euthanised if the dog is unable to cope in the kennel environment and as a result their mental and physical health is severely affected or they are deemed dangerous and un-rehomable

Many rescues can admit that German Shepherds, as a breed, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Their high intelligence and emotional depth make them prone to anxiety and barrier frustration. This makes them 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲, further compounding their odds.

💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼?
✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 - if the parents aren’t health and temperament tested, walk away.
✅ 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 - 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀. With the right support, many Shepherds in rescue thrive.
✅ 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 - not just on the breed, but the bloodline and purpose behind the breeding.
✅ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 that advocate for responsible pet ownership.

𝗕𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱.

13/04/2025

Another day, another story of the police “protecting and serving” 🙄

An XL Bully shot and wounded by police has been found a week later.

12/04/2025

🚨 XL bully owner, Aoife McDowell (living in Woodside, Poleglass), abandoned animal to chew cans in house covered with filth 🚨

Aoife McDowell also pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the animal, which was left to chew on cans.

A charge of failing to meet the dog’s needs was withdrawn.

Laganside Magistrates Court was told a neighbour near McDowell’s previous address on Bell Steel Manor in west Belfast contacted animal welfare on November 23, 2023, after hearing barking and crying coming from inside.

The neighbour told council staff the dog had been left unattended in the house for nine days, apart from a 15-minute visit the previous day.

When welfare officers attended the property, they found the dog in a “very poor” condition.

They said the animal was “barking inside without food or water available” and left a note for McDowell to contact them immediately.

The animal welfare officers visited the following day and again several days later, only to find the dog left in the same conditions and without access to either food or water. After gaining a court order to access the property, they were confronted with a horrifying scene.

A prosecutor told the court “every room was covered in faeces, rubbish and clutter”, with the animal having “chewed through furniture and tins of food” in search of sustenance.

They continued: “Chewing the tins may have damaged the animal’s mouth, and a vet assessed the dog as experiencing suffering.”

Prosecutors sought a disqualification order to bar McDowell from keeping animal, which she did not oppose.

District Judge George Conner adjourned the case until next month for a pre-sentence report.
He said: “The fact one of the charges has been withdrawn does not take away from the sad nature of this case, which is a very serious matter. Ms McDowell, these charges carry up to four months in prison, which is not a threat. I am just trying to emphasise the seriousness of the offences. Make sure that you engage with probation as the court has to consider if a custodial sentence should be imposed.”

McDowell, now with an address in Woodside in Lisburn, tried to hide her face from press photographers outside court before scuttling away into Belfast city centre.

11/04/2025

We relocated this little dude after his finders humanely caught him and gave him a bit of a B&B experience.

Always use humane traps! These little guys want to live too!

10/04/2025

Another day, another gorse fire…

Let’s not forget what outdated practice causes the majority of gorse fires. Time for a ban on “controlled burning”

Our team are thinking of the brave fire and rescue staff this evening, along with the insane efforts of animal rescuers, trying their best to keep the wild ponies on the Mournes safe, as well as the rest of the animals.

Don’t buy into the myth of people leaving BBQs and throwing down ci******es. The majority of these fires have started well off any track - on gorse land parallel to grazing land.

Custodians of the land? I think not.

09/04/2025

There needs to be heavy opposition to foreign companies trying to r**e and pillage our natural resources, with zero regard to nature.

Hopefully this will be opposed with the same gusto as the fine people of Greencastle have done with Dalradia Gold.

The area earmarked for mining activities includes a large portion of both Keady and Newtownhamilton and has been sought as part of an application for a mineral prospecting licence. https://tinyurl.com/mwu98hch

08/04/2025

Another dead horse…
Time for a ban.

Horse Celebre d'Allen dies after collapsing during Grand National at Aintree as jockey suspended https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2025-04-08/horse-dies-after-collapsing-during-grand-national-as-jockey-suspended

07/04/2025

Penny Gove, from Linn Road, Larne, walked free from court today after her prison sentence was suspended. 🤬

You can leave a dog alone to starve to death for at least 9 weeks and you'll still walk free.

There is no justice in our judicial system.

This is Penny Gove (37) from Linn Road, Larne who was handed a 3-month jail sentence for leaving her Jack Russell Gizmo to starve to death at a property in the town.

The dog was found lying dead in the backyard of the house with Gove located at another address.

She was bailed pending an appeal.

See the archived Belfast Telegraph link in comments.

07/04/2025

There needs to be a harsh custodial sentence for any farmer caught lighting gorse fires.

Do not be fooled into believing this is people throwing down ci******es or leaving BBQs. The majority of these fires have started well off of trails and beside grazing land. Conveniently, sheep are off their patches at this time of year.

A change in the law is needed NOW.

Big thanks to our hero firefighters for working tirelessly. Legends, every one of them.

05/04/2025

The good ending… 🤭

05/04/2025

If as many jockeys died as horses during races, it would soon be banned. A shame the numbers aren’t the other way around.

You bet. They die.
No excuse for animal exploitation.

03/04/2025

Horse racing is animal exploitation. This is just doubling down. Gee-whiz. 🤦🏼‍♂️

THE GRAND NATIONAL
This Saturday join us for the Grand National? We’ve got the perfect spot to cheer on your favourite horses on the big screens.

Sip on cold pints, enjoy warm welcomes and savour our delicious menu.

P.S
"just to clear up some recent lies, threats, trolling and hatred we have received this week........we do not endorse cruelty to animals or endorse fox hunting, nor do the owners.

We embrace diversity and patrons from all different diverse backgrounds, by the way, that's what makes Dundrum great ! We will like a wide range of social media pages & posts, this should not be twisted. Stop trying to divide our community"

If our values do not align or, if we are not a good fit for each other, please unfollow us, find somewhere more suitable and stay away- that's ok. 👌

"everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about - be nice"

www.dundruminn.com

03/04/2025

23 years ago today, on the 3rd of April 1993, Tom Worby, a 15 year old hunt saboteur attending his first foxhunt protest, was crushed under the wheels of the Cambridgeshire Fox Hunt's hound van in an incident all too reminiscent of the killing of Mike Hill two years before.

After a successful day's sabbing, the hunt had boxed up and sabs were making their way back to the meet down a narrow, high-banked lane. As the hound van came up behind them, revving its engine, sabs scrambled for the roadside; however Tom's jacket became snagged in the vehicles wing mirror and he was dragged some distance before he managed to gain a foothold on the van's running board. Although he banged on the window the van kept going, and when Tom finally lost his grip, he fell onto the road and under the truck's wheels. His head was crushed by the rear wheels of the vehicle and he died shortly afterwards. No action was taken against the driver of the hound van, 53-year-old huntsman Alan Ball.

Tom Worby, never forgotten - Cambridgeshire foxhunt, never forgiven.

01/04/2025

We are very saddened to learn that the Dundrum Inn supports fox hunting groups' posts, via their online page.

Their page has several positive interactions with hunting pages, including the one attached, over recent months.

This is a business we have personally supported for their dog-friendly premises and vegan items on their menu but unfortunately they are now on our boycott list until it is clarified as to why their page has liked a foxhunting group’s posts over a period of months.

There is nothing dog-friendly or animal friendly about fox hunting.

We advise followers to be friendly with staff as it isn't their fault the owner is using the page in this way. We’re also going to add, for the intellectually challenged, that we aren’t saying this business is engaged in bloodsports, but their business page is being used to positively interact with groups who do. GRMA.