SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
He was speaking during an Assembly motion on creating a register on Tuesday. Mr Durkan said the call should be widened out to an all-island basis.
Said the Foyle MLA: “The SDLP has spent many years campaigning for improved animal protections in the North.
“In 2021, we brought forward a petition with thousands of signatures calling on the then AERA Minister to work with the Justice Minister to introduce an all-island animal cruelty register.
“Despite initial support, the AERA Minister later said such a register would not be possible, blaming financial and logistical issues.
“This motion has been brought forward today by the DUP, the same party whose Minister rejected such a scheme.
“While I welcome the party’s support for the issue and desire to protect animals, I question the ability to do this without a register that works on an all-island basis.
“The cross-border nature of criminal activities such as dogfighting, badger-baiting, and illegal puppy-farming, demands it.
“A register restricted to the North could also allow people banned from owning animals in the North to purchase them over the border and vice-versa and without proper systems and information sharing in place it could be very easy for abusers to exploit this.
“Disappointingly the current DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has also rejected an all-island register. We also see few prosecutions when it comes to animal cruelty and abuse.
“A change of approach is needed, not just from the Executive, but from enforcement agencies to send a clear message that there will be no hiding place for those who mistreat animals.”
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