Canine Buddies educational dog centre, dog rescue shelter, and kennels, launched in Kincullia, Loughrea, last week, aims to promote responsible dog ownership and the ethical treatment of all animals.
The facility was launched by Minister of State Ciaran Cannon and Deputy Mayor of County Galway Peter Roche. The Minister presented a plaque and medals to the overall winners of the 2013 schools project competition, organised by Canine Buddies, based on the subject of ‘How to Take Care of My Pet’. Scoil an Chroí Naofa from Ballinasloe was the overall winner.
Canine Buddies opened the responsible dog ownership and rescue shelter due to the lack of education in understanding the responsibilities involved in owning a pet. When the company visits the schools the staff highlight to the students that pet owners need to make an informed choice well before they take home their new addition to the family. They also highlight the cost in owning a pet and time and energy involved. When they visit schools, clubs, and organisations they point out firstly the cost in owning, for example, a dog, and discuss where people should purchase a puppy, making the public aware of unethical breeders who operate puppy farms.
Other factors to consider are which breed of dog best suits your family and life style. There is no point in a low energy family purchasing or rescuing a high energy dog; this is a recipe for disaster and usually results in the owner having to surrender the dog due to its destructive behaviour caused by boredom.
The team at Canine Buddies also talk about the Dangerous Dogs Act and the issue of dog faeces, which is a major problem around Ireland.
Canine Buddies believes that proper consideration before taking on a new pet would greatly reduce the number of unwanted, abandoned, and abused pets in Ireland, a situation which has left animal sanctuaries full around the country.
Before deciding on a new pet don’t just ask what your pet can do for you; you should also consider whether you are in a position to give your pet a decent quality of life. Consider the cost of owning a dog, from the price of the dog to veterinary fees — both initially for vaccinations, check-ups, microchipping, etc, and the ongoing costs such as food, equipment, grooming, annual dog licence, and vet visits due to illness.
If you would like a school, club, or organisation visit, or to sponsor a visit, contact Carmel Marzouk of Canine Buddies at 086 0375814.
