Closure of rehabilitation centre ‘a serious setback for animal welfare in Donegal’

The closure of Donegal’s Animal Rehabilitation Centre has left the county “in a crisis situation” and “vulnerable animals will be the ultimate victims”.

That is according to Cllr Noel Jordan of Donegal MD, who raised concerns about the centre’s recent closure at the September plenary meeting of Donegal County Council.

The rehabilitation centre, located at Ballyare, Letterkenny, closed its doors after the withdrawal of The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA). The ISPCA took over management of the centre from the Donegal SPCA, who founded the centre in 2018.

A protest against the closure of the facility was held last Sunday.

Cllr Jordan asked "that this council intervene and engage with the ISPCA and the Department due to the closure of its Centre in Letterkenny and I am asking that we provide assistance to the smaller pet rescue centres throughout the county due to the pressures they now face."

“The closure of the centre represents a serious setback for animal welfare in Donegal,” he said. “The Ballyare centre was built by the Donegal SPCA in 2018 and it was funded through local fundraising, substantial donations and bequests made in good faith through the will of Donegal people who wished to leave a legacy for the animals of this county. When the facility was subsequently signed over to the ISCPA, it was a clear understanding that the centre would be maintained and operated as a permanent safeguard for Donegal’s animals. 

“To see it close with very little consultation, with little regard for the original intentions of these donors, undermines the public’s trust and erases a vital legacy. The Donegal SPCA  have rightly pointed out that the moral course of action would be for the ISCPA to return the facility to local ownership, ensuring the people of Donegal who built it are not left abandoned.

“The local animal welfare charities, including Animals in Need, are already operating at full capacity. Every foster home and kennel space and volunteer resource in Donegal is stretched to breaking point at this stage. I’ve witnessed these smaller centres that can’t take anymore animals. The closure of this centre, which has provided an essential safety net for the past seven years, has now resulted in a crisis situation.

“We therefore ask this council to engage with Minister Martin Hayden, Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, to secure a viable future for the Ballyare facility, either by reinstating it under the ISCPA management or supporting a transition back to the SPCA.”

Cllr Jordan raised a recent garda seizure of 14 dogs found in “shocking conditions” at a property in west Donegal.

Dogs were found locked in rusty cages stacked one on top of the other in west Donegal. Photo: An Garda Síochána Donegal

“The volunteer centres were contacted to provide overnight shelter for these dogs,” said Cllr Jordan. “They ended up staying in vets due to the bad condition they were in, but those dogs should have gone straight to the rehabilitation centre. 

“Instead, these dogs were put into crates and transported to Longford. This is totally unacceptable. We should be engaging with the Minister, otherwise we have an animal crisis on our hands here.”

Cllr Jordan added that smaller animal shelters welcome funding. However, the rising costs of procedures such as neutering are making it difficult for these centres to break even.

Cllr Jordan’s party colleague, Cllr Gerry McMonagle, seconded the motion. Cllr McMonagle praised the standard of animal care at the Ballyare centre as “second to none”. He also suggested the council invite the ISPCA in to brief council members on their plans for the future and question their reasons for withdrawing from Ballyare. 

“Vets aren’t at every street corner,” said Cllr McMongle. “This ISPCA facility provided the ordinary man and woman access to veterinary care for their animals on a 24-hour-basis.”

Michael McGarvey, Director of Water and Environment, said: “ The ISPCA Centre near Letterkenny was raised during recent discussions.

“At the last meeting, we did ask them about plans for the centre and we’ll be meeting with them again on a fortnightly basis. We will provide an update at the November council meeting. As the motion was adopted, we will also write formally to them asking them to set out a position. We will also write to the Department.”

Responding to queries over the future of dog warden services in the county, Mr McGarvey said: “Local authorities in Ireland have statutory responsibilities under the Control of Dogs Act 1986.” He added that the council is in the process of employing a third dog warden for the county.

READ NEXT: Donegal County Council supports basic income for artists scheme in Budget 2026

“The ISPCA has collaborated closely with Donegal County Council for many years in supporting the work of the Council in meeting our statutory responsibilities under the Control of Dogs Act 1986. This collaboration included the provision of the services of two ISPCA Dog Wardens in Donegal.

“In July 2025, the ISPCA advised Donegal County Council of their withdrawal from the Donegal Dog Warden Service from 2026. Donegal County Council has been engaging with the ISPCA since then, with the primary focus being to arrange a smooth transition of the Dog Warden Service over the coming months.”