South Tipperary's stray dogs are now sent to Nenagh

Stray dogs picked up in south Tipperary by the county council dog warden are now being sent to the local authority’s Dog Control Unit in Nenagh as the kennels they were previously taken to in Clerihan is no longer providing the service.

News that south Tipperary has lost its accommodation for stray dogs was revealed at Tipperary County Council’s monthly meeting where Clonmel councillors called for an alternative location for the service to be found in this part of the county.

The issue was raised at the meeting by Workers & Unemployment Action Group Cllr Pat English, who reminded council management that public representatives were assured when the council-run dog pound in Kilsheelan closed in 2018 that the service would remain in south Tipperary.

Now the kennels in Clerihan that housed stray dogs for the council since the dog pound closed was no longer available, he said.

“I think we should find an alternative. The county is way too large and spread out. This service needs to be kept in the south,” he declared.

Fellow Clonmel Cllr Richie Molloy echoed Cllr English’s comments about assurances given about retaining the service in the south of the county following the closure of the council dog pound in Kilsheelan.

He said he had always encouraged people to go out to the kennels in Clerihan if they were looking to get a rescue dog or lost a dog and he agreed a facility for stray dogs should be retained in the south of the county.

Ger Walsh of Tipperary County Council responded that unfortunately due to personal circumstances the owner of the kennels facility in Clerihan has withdrawn the service.

To ensure the continuation of the service, arrangements were made with the local authority’s Dog Control Unit at Knockalton, Nenagh to accommodate stray dogs from the south of the county.

He told The Nationalist that the kennels service the council availed of in Clerihan ended at the end of August.

Mr Walsh stressed that the owners of lost dogs picked up by the council dog warden in the south of the county and sent to Nenagh, wouldn’t be inconvenienced. The dog warden would return the dog to them. They don’t have to travel to Nenagh to retrieve the pet.

He pointed out that the council was making enquiries about securing an alternative kennels service in the south of the county but unfortunately none have been found to date.

Mr Walsh said the council would like to hear from anyone who knew of a kennels that could offer the service in this part of the county.

“In the interim we will continue to provide the service in Nenagh.” He stressed one of the council’s two dog wardens continues to cover the south of the county.