Dogs Trust appeal for support after taking in 54 puppies in 3 weeks

Among the new arrivals were eight 10-day-old puppies who require "round the clock care".

Dogs Trust Ireland are appealing to the public to donate, foster and adopt as they are overrun with puppies. The animal welfare organisation has said that they are facing a "crisis" of unwanted dogs, after receiving 54 puppies in the space of just three weeks. Among the new arrivals were eight 10-day-old puppies who require "round the clock care". Since January, Dogs Trust has seen 2,180 requests from members of the public looking to surrender their dogs, and as a result, they are appealing for foster owners. The group''s rehoming center manager Maciej Trojanowicz said: "We also have an overwhelming list of dogs waiting to come into our care from local authority dog pounds. While we would love to be able to help every single dog we are asked to, sadly, we just don’t have the kennel space to do so. That’s why we are urgently appealing for foster homes, so we can help as many dogs as possible. "People who foster are often asked if it’s hard to say goodbye to the dog they have cared for. As a fosterer myself, I can tell you first-hand that the feeling of knowing the dog is going to a family who will love them, far outweighs the temporary sadness." The group's head of communications, Ciara Mullen, said that the crisis is the result of the pandemic, which saw many people rush to adopt a pet, only to relinquish them as the restrictions eased. "More and more people are spending increasing periods of time away from their homes and feel they can no longer give their dogs the time they need." She reiterated the need for support: "So, we are appealing to people to please support our work by fostering, adopting or donating what they can. We care for hundreds of dogs every year but without the generosity of our supporters, this simply wouldn’t be possible. We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of them, especially as we all face the increased cost of living."