Newly released figures from the Department of Agriculture show that Kildare has had only one year of recorded prosecutions under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 between 2022 and mid-2025.
Locals are being urged to request a pulse number from Gardai when they report an incident of animal cruelty.
Newly released figures from the Department of Agriculture show that Kildare has had only one year of recorded prosecutions under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since 2022.
In 2024, Kildare registered six separate offences of animal cruelty.
There were no recorded prosecutions in Kildare in 2022, 2023, or the first half of 2025, according to data from the Department.
Animal welfare enforcement often depends on public complaints, while minor welfare breaches may be dealt with through advice, improvement notices, or animal seizure without court action.
Kildare County Council also does not make animal welfare inspection reports available to the public and recently told Kfm that animal welfare issues fall under the remit of the Department of Agriculture.
In contrast, more offences were reported in Wicklow.
There were 31 total prosecutions in Wicklow between 2022 and 2024, making it one of the counties with the highest volume of animal welfare enforcement actions during this period.
Martina Kenny from Moyvalley-based My Lovely Horse Rescue believes animal cruelty is not taken seriously enough by local authorities or gardai.
She urged people to request a pulse number from gardai when they report a case.
She recently called for a dedicated Garda unit to combat animal abuse and provide training for evidence gathering at animal crime scenes.
Citing the Netherlands as an example, Kenny described how their police units not only investigate animal abuse crimes but also train officers on how to gather evidence that stands up in court.
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