9th January 2008 

Countryside Alliance Ireland has again written to Minister Gormley seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the "proposed puppy farming regulations" and the implications that it will have on our members and country sports in general.

With the recent announcement that an exemption will be put in place for registered hunts we are concerned and deeply dissapointed that law abiding members of the country sports community will be adversely affected by these regulations.

We believe that their definition of a breeding establishment

"The Group recommends that dog breeding establishments be defined based on the number of female dogs with breeding potential present on the premises. Therefore, a dog-breeding establishment would be defined as “a premises containing more than 5 female dogs, aged over 4 months, with breeding potential”

is an attempt to curtail country sports and if implemented without change "would have a detrimental affect on our sporting community and place many of our members in a situation where their country sports pursuits are under threat.

Countryside Alliance Ireland is urgently seeking a change to this definition and recommends that this definition of a breeding establishment be changed to reflect what this law is intended to do and that is to isolate and close down all unauthorised “puppy farms”.

We recommend  that the  definition as written be changed to the following.

“A breeding establishment means any premises where more than five female dogs over 4 months with breeding potential are kept for the sole purpose of breeding for sale”

And that

“No person may keep a breeding establishment with more than five female dogs over 4 months with breeding potential are being kept for the sole purpose of breeding for sale without first obtaining a licence.