Milford dog shelter facing closure

A Cork dog shelter is at risk of closure as a result of lack of funds. Pauline's Shelter which is based in Milford in North Cork is struggling to stay open because of high veterinary bills and low donations. Pauline O'Mahony who runs the shelter voluntarily says that things are far more difficult in recent times due to the recession.

"Our funds are very low at the moment. I get about 300 to 400 dogs through here every year. When we get a dog it goes straight to the vet to be vaccinated, neutered and micro-chipped and I then have to pay for all that. We have a bank account where the public can make donations and every cent of that goes towards the dogs but the bills are piling up and there isn't enough money to pay them."

Pauline has run the shelter from her home for the past 10 years. An animal lover her whole life, she works voluntarily with some help, and the shelter, she says is always full.

"Things are becoming more difficult in that there are a lot more dogs coming in to me. People either can't afford to keep their dog or they are just being abandoned. At the moment I have 13 dogs in my house which are permanent residents and I have 35 in total including those in the shelter. I'm now having to turn dogs away because I don't have the room or the money to take them. I have outstanding vets bills and the cost of running the shelter if huge and the funds just aren't there at the moment.

"All our money is either from donations or through fundraising we do but its not enough. We ask anyone who adopts a dog to donate €100 when they take a dog but a lot of people are telling me they can't afford that much or they'll drop it in to me and they never do. I'm between a rock and a hard place because I want the dog to go to a home but then I'm left with the vet bill."

Pauline says that she is under huge pressure and if donations do not increase then she may be forced to reassess her position. 

"I'm under huge pressure, I run the shelter voluntarily and all the other shelters in Cork are full as well. There is a lot of dogs and nowhere to put them. We are bursting at the seams. I've always loved animals so I am happy to do it but it is very stressful and there is huge pressure involved, it's hard to say no to a dog when they are brought in to me but without funding I don't know what else I can do."

Money can be donated to Pauline's Shelter through the AIB in Charleville. Bank account number 12024020, Sort Code 936189 or to volunteer contact Pauline at rexfitzpatrick@hotmail.com.