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DSPCA

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Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, Dublin

DSPCA

The DSPCA is Ireland's leading animal welfare charity, established over 180 years ago in 1840. We exist uniquely to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome sick, injured and cruelly treated animals.   Our mission is to promote and protect the welfare of all animals, domestic and wild. The DSPCA is a charitable, non-profit, independent charity. It operates in Dublin city and county. 



overview

We exist uniquely to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome sick, injured and cruelly treated animals. We are committed to making it socially unacceptable to mistreat any animal.

Our team of inspectors works closely with Government Agencies and Authorities to help strengthen the law on animal welfare in Ireland and influence decision making. Through our education services, we impact over 150,000 people each year and focus on promoting kindness and empathy towards animals. n

where your money goes

Investigating Cruelty

We fight animal cruelty and abuse in all of its forms. When a call is received from a member of the public concerned that an animal is being mistreated, our Inspectors will call out to investigate. These calls will sometimes result in us prosecuting the owner for cruelty. More details..

Ambulance Service

Our team of inspectors deal with a variety of cases of accidental injury to animals, be they wild or domesticated. A typical day's cases may include dealing with oil pollution to swans, injured dogs or even the rescuing of orphaned baby animals. Our inspectors provide full cover five days a week and emergency cover at night, on Saturdays and public holidays. The Inspectors make an average of 500 call outs per month. More details..

Long Term Care of Animals

The shelter at Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham cares for animals rescued from cruelty, neglect or injury and is currently home to a shifting population of cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, ponies, donkeys, snakes, goats, sheep, turkeys, ducks, geese, chickens, and many more.  We are the only Equine rescue centre serving the Dublin area as well as being the largest animal rescue organisation in Ireland. More details..

New Homes for Animals

We are pleased to find new homes for animals whom we have nursed back to health or for the many animals brought to us for homing.  We love and care for these animals until they can find their new home. More details..

Wildlife Care & Release

Our primary wildlife goal is to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, restore them to full health and return them to the wild as functioning members of their wild population.  We are the only wildlife rescue centre for the Dublin area and we take in every type of wild Irish animal and birds.  We operate a foster programme for orphaned fledging birds as they need extra special care when they are very young.  Read more about Wildlife care in our Animal Care section.

Legislation

After many years of hard work, we brought about the introduction of The Control of Horses Act in 1996. We are currently campaigning for better legislation for all Irish animals - to name but a few - Equine Welfare, Animal Welfare, Breeding legislation, Controlling the importation of exotic pets. Irish Legislation changes can take many years, and public support is always needed.  More details..

We Help People Care for Their Animals

We provide a subsidised clinic for people who cannot afford to visit a private vet. Our mobile clinic currently visits four areas in Dublin.  More details..

We have a wide range of information on people care for their pets and Irish wildlife on our website and we deal with many phone calls queries from the public each week.  We provide a low cost microchipping service for all animals both from our shelter and our mobile clinic. More details..

Education

The Society currently has one full time Education Officers who is available to give talks to pupils and students about animal welfare and the work of the Dublin SPCA. Tours of the shelter can also be arranged for any group in our purpose built lecture room.  This service of FREE of charge.  We also provide information on our website for Teachers and Students to download on Animal Welfare and Animal Care.  We provide work experience opportunities for hundreds of students every year and is one of our most popular programmes. More details..

 

 

 

history

The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established in 1840 and is the oldest and largest animal charity in the Republic of Ireland.

In its early days the Society was known as the Dublin Auxiliary of the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals and it was founded the year the RSPCA received Royal Patronage, over the years it has had many names including "The Dublin Home for Starving and Forsaken Cats". 

The Society was based at Grand Canal Quay in Dublin City from its formation in 1840 up until 1990, and generations of Dublin people were familiar with it as �The Dogs and Cats Home� and at times as �The Cats & Dogs Home�.

In 1990 the Society moved to the Potterton Restfields at Stocking Lane in Rathfarnham, a suburb of Dublin. The land was bequeathed to the Society in the 1930s as a place to graze retired working horses.

In 2003 the Society moved to its current premises on Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham where state of the art facilites were built to continue the work of the Society. The  DSPCA continues to care for the sick, injured and cruely treated animals in Dublin city and county.


 

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