Animal Welfare Organisation Funding

Animal welfare groups can apply for funding to help them carry out their work. More than 100 organisations across the country received funding in 2019.

In order to receive funding animal welfare organisations have to meet a series of operational standards to ensure the funds are used effectively.

Welfare organisations should:

• be a registered charity
• have appropriate facilities and the necessary expertise to manage rescued animals
• have transport available to enable them to respond to calls for assistance
• have an active re-homing policy.
• have a policy which clearly states the maximum period of time for which they will hold an animal.
• maintain a detailed record of ALL animals including horses and farmed animals, which show date of intake, date of neutering/micro-chipping, date of re-homing, premises re-homed to and as appropriate, date euthanized

The Five Freedoms outlined below provide an overall concept of animal welfare and should underpin animal welfare best practice at your organisation:

• freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
• freedom from discomfort
• freedom from pain, injury and disease
• freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour
• freedom from fear and distress.

Organisations seeking funding must complete an application process each year and comply with all the conditions of the scheme.

A total of 101 organisations received funding from the department in 2020, getting grants ranging from €1,000 to €535,000 depending on the nature and scope of their work. The total granted in 2020 was €3,200,000.

For further information contact: