* Puppy Breeding & The Case for Compulsory Microchipping of Dogs *
* Disease Eradication - Farm Animals *
The Role of State Vets in Animal Health & Welfare Closes All-Island Conference
Mark Beazley has been heavily involved in lobbying for improvements to Irish animal
welfare legislation since 2003, with particular emphasis on dog and companion animal
welfare. He wants to see more being done to deal with the stray dog situation in Ireland.
“Education of people about responsible dog ownership is key,” says Mr. Beazley. His aim is
for dogs to be able to enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.
The Executive Director of Dogs Trust in Ireland - Europe’s largest dog welfare charity - and
previously Chief Executive of the ISPCA, Mark Beazley will be speaking about ‘Stray and
Abandoned Dogs‘ in the closing session of the 2013 All-Ireland State Veterinarian’s
Scientific Conference, taking place in Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, 5th & 6th April, 2013.
“Dogs Trust relies on the prevention and cure approach,” says Mr. Beazley. “Rescue and rehoming work aims to deal with the immediate needs of abandoned dogs; whilst preventative
measures such as neutering, microchipping, education and lobbying are contributing to longer
term solutions.”
Brendan Smyth, County Veterinary Officer for Monaghan County Council will be speaking
about ‘Puppy Breeding & the Law – The Case for Compulsory Microchipping,’ in the closing
session of the veterinary conference on Saturday 6th April.
Microchips, which can be a very effective method of reuniting dogs with their owners, are
now compulsory for all dogs over 8 weeks old and kept at a Dog Breeding Establishment,
unless the operator of the establishment is also a registered hunt or game club.
Brendan Smyth has an executive role in Monaghan County Council's dog control and dog
welfare activities and in the Council's efforts to promote responsible animal ownership. He
will present an overview of current dog control legislation and will highlight the duties of
persons who operate premises required to be registered as Dog Breeding Establishments.
Disease Eradication Initiatives
Dr. David Graham is Programme Manager for Biosecure Diseases at Animal Health Ireland,
set up to pursue effective control strategies for important non-regulated diseases of livestock.
Dr. Graham’s conference presentation will provide details about Animal Health Ireland’s
programmes in relation to Johne’s disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and
somatic cell counts (CellCheck), with particular emphasis on the national eradication
programme for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD). Dr. Graham previously spent several years in
mixed large animal practice in Northern Ireland and also worked with the Stormont
laboratories of the Veterinary Sciences Division (Science Service), Department of Agriculture
and Rural Development.
He is joined by Dr. Ronan O’Neill, originally from a farming background in Co. Armagh,
who is now based in the Virology Division, at the Department of Agriculture, Food & The
Marine’s veterinary laboratories at Backweston, Celbridge. Dr. O’Neill has gained
invaluable experience “and a few grey hairs” due to Foot and Mouth, Bluetongue, IBR and
other disease issues in the intervening years.
According to Dr. O’Neill, progress to date on the Irish BVD eradication programme has
surprised many and may have wider implications for the future infrastructure required to
control cattle health in Ireland.
He believes that the Irish BVD programme points to involvement by members of the
Veterinary Officer’s Association, in areas ranging from enforcement of restrictions, to
personal biosecurity in the face of a very infective and contagious virus.
Buiatrics is the study of cattle and their diseases. Peter Mullowney, who has spoken at the
last four World Association of Buiatrics conferences on Johne’s Disease, will be giving
details of The World Association of Buiatrics Conference to be held in Dublin in July 2016.
Peter Mullowney is SVI (Superintending Veterinary Inspector) with the Department of
Agriculture, Food & The Marine, with a responsibility for Veterinary Training and Johne’s
Disease. He was previously District Veterinary Officer in Leitrim and later Mayo. He also
spent two periods in Agriculture House during the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak and
working on development of AHCS.
The All-Ireland State Veterinarian’s Scientific Conference, features sessions on 5th April
2013 on “Veterinary Public Health” and “Animal Health and Welfare.” The plenary session,
Food Harvest 2020 - Threats and Opportunities of Agricultural Expansion – takes place from
2.00pm-5.15pm on Friday 5th April. “State Medicine – From Cattle to Dogs” runs on the
morning of Saturday 6th April, 2013.
This is the second annual conference organised by state veterinarians North and South of the
border, who share interests in protecting consumer health, food safety and animal welfare on
the island of Ireland.
This year’s conference is a collaboration between the Veterinary Officer’s Association (VOA),
the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance Veterinary Branch (NIPSA) and the Local
Authority Veterinary Service (LAVS). It is a networked collaboration organised with support
from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland; The Department of Agriculture & Rural
Development (NI); The Department of Agriculture, Food & The Marine; and Safefood.
ENDS
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