DEMAND for space at Limerick Animal Welfare’s (LAW) sanctuary has reached crisis point. “Things are the worst they’ve ever been in terms of demand and pressure on the charity,” Claire Kirby, a LAW representative told the Limerick Post. She said that the number of animals being handed in or recovered from abuse or neglect is escalating daily and the number of stray dogs on Limerick’s streets has allegedly reached such a level that individuals have been dropping abandoned animals off outside LAW’s charity shops on Parnell and Roches Streets.
The inability to financially care for a pet is leading more and more pet owners to give them up.
LAW’s sanctuary is currently way over capacity with more than 60 resident dogs and a waiting list of three months,
“Things are crazy in terms of the numbers of every type of animal we are currently dealing with,” said Sanctuary Manager, Jodie Hayward.
“We’ve no space because we’ve been inundated with dogs so priority has to go to injured animals that are emergency cases before stray or abandoned animals”.
She added that there is an amazing team of volunteers and fundraisers working for the charity.
“Our cattery is completed and opened but our new rehoming unit is currently lying as a shell due to a lack of funding. It would be fantastic to be able to open it as it will include our own vet clinic and puppy accommodation”.
“People are even picking up animals off the street and dropping them into the shop here and unfortunately they get aggravated when told there is no room for their unwanted pet”, Ms Kirby explained.
LAW is appealing for good quality items to be dropped into their shops for sale and also for people to take part in the Great Limerick Run in aid of the charity.
