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]