It’s hoped a new organisation to run the Carlow/Kilkenny Dog Shelter will be found in the coming weeks.
At the start of October the ISPCA gave their notice to both Kilkenny and Carlow County Councils that as of the end of February 2017, they would finish running the service at the local dog shelter.
This will be the first time that the local pound won’t be run by the animal charity.
They say they made a strategic decision to withdraw their services.
Kilkenny County Council say they have considered the option of providing an in-house service but the cons for this have outweighed the pros.
There’d be long term costs involved with salaries and pensions, the control of dogs isn’t a core function of a council, there’d be a lack of in-house expertise and it’s also supposed to be a JOINT service for Carlow/Kilkenny.
The council had hoped the ISPCA would extend their contract beyond 2016 but as this isn’t happening, that contract has now gone out to tender this week.
It’s hoped a preferred tenderer will be found by January and will be able to take over from the 1st of March.
