* 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 re-homing 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); TheDepartment of Agriculture, Food & The Marine; and Safefood.
ENDS

Media enquiries/for further information, please contact:

Progress Communications,

Tel: +353-(0)-1-2766117 e mail