Featured photo: North West Newspix
Animal welfare campaigners are calling on the ISPCA to do the ‘moral’ thing by giving the local animal rehabilitation centre back to the people of Donegal.
A protest took place today at the Ballyare facility ahead of its closure tomorrow.
Along with the closure is the loss of several jobs as staff take redundancy.
The ISPCA says the decision to close Ballyare is due to a depletion of funds and not related to the proposed merger with the DSPCA (Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to form the new National SPCA.
The future of the centre has not yet been confirmed, as the NPSCA is not yet operational, but it’s envisaged that the asset will transfer to the new national charity.
The Donegal SPCA, the original founders of the centre, are campaigning to have it returned to them to continue its purpose of caring for animals in need.
Photo North West Newspix
Committee member Kathleen Murray said, “This is a moral plea rather than legal. The ISPCA own the centre so they can do what they want, but we would like them to think about it morally and give it back, seeing as it has failed for them.
“If the centre closes, it would be a huge deficit to the county and would put so much more pressure on other animal welfare charities.
“All those animals that would have gone to the centre, although the ISPCA say they will be transported down the county, we believe that will only be the cruelty cases.”
Puppies such as Odhrán started their days in the excellent care of the ISPCA Centre in Donegal
The Donegal SPCA had built the centre through legacy funds and fundraising, before handing it over to the ISPCA for opening in 2018.
“We could have spent the money directly on animals, but we decided to put it into a long-term project for more animals,” said Kathleen.
“We asked the ISPCA to run it as we didn’t have the funds.
“We are extremely annoyed that it’s gone this way because I would like for the IPSCA to honour all those meetings and discussions we (the committee) had about how it would never leave the county.”
The hope of the Donegal SPCA is that any decision about the Ballyare centre’s future is made in partnership with the people and charities of Donegal.
“That centre is a very valuable asset to his county. If it is running at a financial loss and they have to close, leave it, recoup the losses and leave it here for the people of Donegal to decide on its future,” said Kathleen.
Paul Murray speaking at the Donegal SPCA gathering at Ballyare today. Photo North West Newspix
Pete Wedderburn, Chair of the ISPCA Board of Directors, told Donegal Daily: “The ISPCA has faced a number of serious financial challenges over recent years due to the need to meet an overwhelming crisis in animal cruelty cases and the pressure on our facilities.
“Naturally, our operations needed to be tailored to meet with ongoing income and we carried out a full review of all costs. The results of this review illustrated, unfortunately, that it was not financially viable to maintain the facility in Donegal.
“A reorganisation of our service delivery and facilities has been essential to become more efficient and continue to prioritise the needs of animals across the country.”
Donegal ISPCA Centre
Sinn Féin County Councillor Cllr Dakota Nic Mheanman was among those in attendance at the protest today.
She and her party colleagues say the centre’s closure would be a devastating blow for staff and for animal welfare in the county and have called on the Minister to urgently intervene.
Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said: “The closure of the Donegal ISPCA centre tomorrow would be a devastating blow for the hardworking staff at the centre and for animal welfare in this county.
“This facility provides a vital service in rescuing and rehabilitating animals. Its closure would leave Donegal without the supports it desperately needs.
“As the ISPCA have already stated in their justification for closure, there is an overwhelming crisis in animal cruelty cases. To leave Donegal without the services that the ISPCA provide is unthinkable in this context.
“I am joining SIPTU’s calls for the Minister for Agriculture to step in immediately to secure the future of this centre and we have written to Minister Heydon. He cannot wash his hands of this. He must act now to ensure this service is not lost.
Deputy Pearse Doherty said he has written to the ISPCA seeking urgent clarity on why concerns about the viability of this centre were not shared earlier with political representatives or made public.
“Had these issues been raised in good time, solutions could have been found to avoid this crisis,” he said.
“The ISPCA must explain why elected representatives and the community were left in the dark until the very eve of closure. Staff, volunteers and the wider public deserve answers.
“I will continue to press the Minister to intervene and I stand with staff, volunteers and SIPTU members in their fight to keep this essential service open.”
Campaigners fight to keep safe haven for animals in Donegal was last modified: September 11th, 2025 by Staff Writer