Marshalled list of amendments

1 May 2025

Item 6: Order Paper 99/22-27 – Tuesday 6 May 2025

Motion: Review of Local Councils’ Animal Welfare Policies

Proposed:

That this Assembly believes in the highest standard of welfare for dogs in Northern Ireland; commends the work of the Dogs Trust and many other rehoming organisations and charities; expresses concern at the lack of support and oversight from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs regarding enforcement of animal welfare legislation by local councils; is alarmed at the policy of euthanising healthy dogs after just five days if they are not reclaimed; supports the Dogs Trust’s calls for legislation to ensure that all animal welfare establishments, including dog pounds, are licensed and have regular unannounced inspections; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to review local councils’ dog pound and kennelling policies, including the euthanising of healthy dogs and bringing forward a standardised approach across all councils.

Mr Colin Crawford

Mr Robbie Butler

Mr Doug Beattie

Mrs Diana Armstrong

Amendment

Leave out all after ‘charities;’ and insert:

‘welcomes the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair’s work to actively examine the case for inspecting and licensing rescue and rehoming organisations and bring forward relevant legislation thereafter; notes that the vast majority of stray dogs are claimed or rehomed; and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to publish his animal welfare pathway to improve animal welfare across Northern Ireland.’

[Mr John Blair]

[Mr Andrew McMurray]

[Ms Sian Mulholland]

[Mr Eóin Tennyson]