Protest over bolt system as 27,848 dogs put down in 1997

The major proportion of 27,848 dogs which were put down by local authority dog-wardens in 1997 - the last year for which figures are available - were sent to rendering plants and some were used in animal feeds, the ISPCA has acknowledged. The figures for dog carcases were released by the Department of Environment after a group called Alliance for Animal Rights staged a protest against the use of "captive bullet" style guns, in Co Louth yesterday.

At the same time Mr Ciaran O'Donovan of the ISPCA told The Irish Times that due to fears of environmental pollution dog carcases were no longer dumped on town dumps, but were being increasingly sent to rendering plants. A small number might be cremated. Some rendering plants would convert the carcases into animal foodstuffs, Mr O'Donovan acknowledged.

Louth County Council later confirmed it intends to stop using the captive bolt system of putting down unwanted dogs.

The captive bullet guns shoot a retractable bolt just under five inches long into the dog's head. Co Louth put down 1,630 dogs in 1997 - the fourth highest number in the State.

The county council has one warden who uses a captive bullet gun.

The Department could not say however, how many of the remaining 32 local authorities which operate dog warden services use the guns.

Dogs arrive in wardens' care by either being seized, collected or delivered to the local pound. They must be claimed within five days or the wardens may put them down.

Dublin City had the highest number of dogs seized in 1997, at 1,188 while it had 1,408 surrendered to it. It destroyed 1,884. The ISPCA, which operates dog warden services for 16 local authorities on contract, has criticised the use of bolt-guns maintaining that "the most humane method, that of an intravenous drug is the one preferred by the ISPCA". Mr O'Donovan also said there was always a vet present when a dog was being put down by the society.

The carcases of dead animals were, up until recently sent to town dumps, but according to Mr O'Donovan they are now increasingly being sent to rendering plants because of fears of environmental pollution.

Mr O'Donovan added however, that the figure of 27,848 dogs being destroyed in 1997 was "about half the true figure as it doesn't take into account the number of dogs put down by vets in private practice."

While Mr O'Donovan argued that the ISPCC killing method was the most humane he added that the society had known of others who had put down their animals by methods somewhat less humane then the captive bullet gun.

The group which protested outside the Louth County Council offices says that once the campaign to replace the dog pound in Louth is complete, it will focus on Monaghan and Kerry where they say bolt guns are also used.

The group claimed that of the 1,711 dogs taken into the pound by the dog warden last year, only 11 were found new homes. The council denied this.

A spokeswoman said 24 dogs surrendered to the dog warden were found homes from the dog pound last year and that over 200 others were immediately found new homes before they reached the pound.