Dog Licence
If you have a dog over 4 months old, you must have a licence for it and the person to whom the licence is issued must be over 16 years of age, if the dog is under 4 months old it must be with the dam.
Annual Dog Licence (€20 fee) and Lifetime Dog Licence (€140 fee) can either be purchased online https://www.licences.ie/ILAS or from any Post Office. Annual and Lifetime Licences cannot be purchased at South Dublin County Council offices.
Free internet access is available at all South Dublin County Council Libraries in order to access An Post’s website.
General Dog Licence, entitling you to keep an unspecified number of dogs (€400 per year), can be purchased directly from the Council Cash Office. Application form available online
If you do not have a licence for your dog, you are liable to a €150 “on-the-spot” fine. Failure to pay this fine can lead to a prosecution with a maximum fine of €1,269.74 and/or up to 3 months imprisonment if convicted
Changes to your dog licence details can be made by contacting Enforcement & Licensing, 01-4149000 or emailing info@sdublincoco.ie.
Do you keep 6 or more female dogs?
The Dog Breeding Establishment Act applies if you keep 6 or more female dogs which are more than 6 months old and are capable of breeding.
Anyone who is covered by the new regulations will need to register with their local authority and ensure that their premises conform to the guidelines issued as part of the regulations. Failure to register with your local authority is an offence under the regulations. The regulations may cover dogs even when they are not used for, or never will be used for breeding purposes.
Download an Application to register a Dog Breeding Establishment (in accordance with Section 9 of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010) Click here
Dog Wardens Service
The Dog Warden service looks after stray and unwanted dogs and enforcement in relation to the Control of Dogs Acts. Links to the Control of Dogs Act, 1986, and the Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act, 1992. Contact the Dog Wardens at 01-4149213 info@sdublincoco.ie
All surrendered and stray dogs are brought to Dublin County Dog Shelter, Hollygrove Kennels, Lyons Road, Newcastle, Co. Dublin Ph: 087 3914008. In order to reclaim a dog please contact the Dog Wardens at -1-4149213 or info@sdublincoco.ie
Leashes:
a) All dogs must be kept under effectual control when in any public place i.e. street, road, park etc.
b) Certain breeds must always be leashed, muzzled and accompanied by a person over the age of 16 years when in a public place. These include: American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, English Bull Terrier, German Shepherd, Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and every other strain or cross of the above mentioned breeds.
c) All dogs must be leashed when in Council owned parks.
d) It is an offence not to have the owner’s identity on a dog collar, tag or badge.
Penalties:
Penalties for breaches of the Control of Dogs Acts, Regulations or Bye Laws range from €100 “on the spot fines” which are issued by the Dog Wardens, to maximum fines of €1,269.74 and/or 3 months imprisonment which may be imposed by the District Court.
Barking Dogs:
Complaints in relation to excessive barking should be made to the district court on the appropriate form.
For further information, contact the District Court – Dublin
Section 25 of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 deals with the issue of nuisance due to barking dogs. Under Section 25 of this act a decision as to whether any case of dog barking constitutes a nuisance is a matter for the District court to decide upon.
Dublin District Court Civil Office, 1st Floor, Áras Uí Dhálaigh, Inns Quay, Dublin 2.
Tel +353 1 888 6443 / 6161 / 6891
Fax +353 1 878 3218
Email: dublinciviloffice@courts.ie
Dog Fouling:
You must clean up any Dog Litter which has been deposited by your dog in any street, road, path, etc. in the South Dublin area. Failure to do so is an offence under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997 (Maximum fine €3,000). Dog feces can be a source of disease. Dog fouling complaints can be made to the Litter Warden for the area. Contact Litter Warden at info@sdublincoco.ie
Unwanted dogs:
Unwanted dogs should be brought to the attention of our Dog Wardens' Section at (01) 4149213
Rehoming:
Dogs which are suitable for rehoming are available at a small charge from the Dog Shelter. For more information please contact: 087 3914008.
Stray dogs:
Stray dogs may be seized by the Council’s Dog Wardens. They will be brought to the Dog Shelter where they will be kept for five days in order for their owners to reclaim them. A “stray dog” is a dog which is in a public place and not accompanied by the owner or some other responsible person.
The Dog Shelter
Dublin County Dog Shelter
Hollygrove Kennels
Lyons Road
Newcastle
Co. Dublin
Ph: 087 3914008
Facebook Page: https://m.facebook.com/DublinCountyDogShelter/
Other Useful Information:
DSPCA:
General Queries Tel: (01) 4994700 Email: info@dspca.ie Web: https://www.dspca.ie/
If you have a general query contact the DSPCA at 01-4994700
If you wish to report an animal welfare issue, please contact the DSPCA directly on 01-4994727
If you wish to report animal cruelty, or if an animal is in immediate danger, please contact the DSPCA directly on 01-4994702
