From Stephen Philpott
Chief Executive
USPCA
Member Society of Euro-Group for Animals and Advisory Council Member of WISPA.
There is an old Irish proverb occasionally trotted out as a comfort to the disadvantaged; it goes... ‘Live Old Horse and You’ll Get Grass’ in other words hang in long enough and things will surely get better. Perhaps naiveté has set in, but I never thought I’d see this embodied in 21st Century Animal Welfare Legislation.
Since 1972 Northern Irelands companion animals have been short changed by a flawed Act that denies them the most basic of rights. A law that condones the keeping of animals in ‘conditions likely to cause suffering‘ it requires them to endure pain before any effective action can be taken. In short a disgrace on the Province and a population that boasts of compassion towards its animals.
After the formation of the NI Assembly in May 2007 the USPCA and other animal welfare groups met with DARD Minister Michelle Gildernew MP MLA. The need for a radical review of the existing legislation was accepted by all and a consultation on a new Animal Welfare Bill began.
The new 2006 Act in England & Wales was used as a template and new legislation soon evolved. It closes many of the welfare loopholes in the 1972 Act and increases both the range of offences and the scale of penalties.
Following Royal Assent we will soon have a new Animal Welfare (NI) Act in place. Regrettably the USPCA regards the proposed arrangements for its enforcement as ill considered and ineffective.
It is the intention of DARD to hand this key task to the 26 local authorities utilising currently non-existent District Animal Welfare Officers. There is an understandable resistance to this imposed responsibility by our cash strapped Councils. Their lack of enthusiasm is evident as these highly specialised and key posts have not been advertised let alone recruited and/or trained.
To ease the impact on ratepayers a DARD ‘one off’ payment of circa £700k spread across all 26 councils is on offer. This subsidy will not be repeated in subsequent years and the ratepayers will pick up the bill.
The scale of discontent is such that DARD has now postponed implementation of the new Act by 12 months to give our Councils an opportunity to address the practical and financial problems dumped on their doorstep and to compound USPCA concerns it now seems potential revolt has been quelled by a concession allowing Councils to sidestep responsibility for the legislation by opting out from its implementation.
After enduring 39 years of pain and distress our neglected companion animals need a better future. They don’t deserve further delay; properly enforced the new legislation can improve welfare standards and punish those guilty of causing needless suffering. DARD must radically rethink their enforcement arrangements and come up with an effective solution to a problem of their own making and one that doesn’t reek of fudge.
