[Updated 1/3/15 with 2013 stats]

Over 300,000 kittens are born in Ireland every year. Of those 180,000 kittens die before they are 4 months old. What kills these kittens in Ireland? Hunger, disease, exposure and people (see Kitten Mortality for more information). There are no statistics for how many felines are killed in shelters. (Estimates from ANVIL Ireland.)

We do know that an average of ten dogs were killed every day in Irish pounds in 2013. And an average of 169 dogs a week, 24 a day, were abandoned by their guardians, mostly surrendered, unwanted companion animals. The Department of Agriculture stats indicate that these figures have been decreasing since 2005, but it's not because we are solving the problem - it is because rescue centres and dedicated individuals are getting to these dogs before they are destroyed. This is not a solution, it is a band-aid over a broken leg. (Stats from Dept of Rural & Community Development.)

The problems are overpopulation, inadequate legislation, inadequate enforcement of legislation and lack of human responsibility.

The solutions are TNR, Neutering, Decent Legislation, Enforcement of that Legislation, Responsible Pet Ownership & Individual Responsibility - a public that acts responsibly towards the non-human animals it shares this planet with.

Related Links

• Kitten Mortality
• TNR
• Neutering
• Decent Legislation
• Irish Pound Statistics