Photograph of local residents (left to right) Joel and Jo-Ann Bell, Councillor Cadogan Enright, Sharon Quinn of the Leitrim Millvale Animal Sanctuary, and local Animal Welfare Campaigner Barbara Haig with Cadogan Enright junior.

Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright condemned the killing and dumping of dogs including a beagle, a collie and a whippet at the Split Bog Road off Moneyslane Road.

Cllr Enright was called to the scene when local residents found it difficult to get the PSNI to attend. Cllr Enright is a member of the Policing Partnership and was able to ensure the PSNI attended the scene.

Barbara Haig, who is a local member of Belfast Animal Rescue, was upset that one of the many sanctuaries and re-homing centres in NI had not been given the chance to care for the dogs. It is appalling that animals have been killed and dumped over a hedge in this manner. Why this sort of behaviour is still being occurring is beyond me. Given the existence of local organisations to take in unwanted pets, I can only assume that that this incident is associated with the ongoing theft of pedigree dogs or perhaps with dog-fighting.”

The incident had been initially reported to Barbara Haig and Sharon Quinn of the Leitrim Millvale Animal Sanctuary, who had spent some time searching the Split Bog Road to see where the animals were, and marked the scene for the PSNI. Sharon said “I find it incredible that these dogs were dumped in an isolated area such as this, and this would lead me to believe that there may be something sinister attached to their deaths”.

Joel and Joe-Ann Bell waited at the scene for the PSNI to arrive, tying a ribbon to a tree to make the site easily visible.

Cadogan Enright said PSNI are investigating the incident and he called on the community to report either openly or anonymously those who were abusing animals of any kind to the police, the USPCA or any of the voluntary organisations in the area including the Green Party who would ensure the information got to the right authorities. Cadogan said “I have been informed that several dogs have gone missing or have been stolen from his area recently, so I would call on people not to leave their dogs unattended.”

“I got an update over the weekend from the PSNI officer investigating the case who said the USPCA had examined the dogs and found them to have been starved to death,” concluded Cllr Cadogan Enright.

Press Coverage:

Down Councillor hits out at Ballyward dog dumping, Horror at dumping of dead dogs in Ballyward, Ballyward Dog Dumping Horror – Front Page, The Outlook.