By Eilisha Devlin
CAMPAIGNERS for Save the Donegal Animal Centre will gather tomorrow at the gates of the Donegal NSPCA Animal Rehabilitation Centre at 3pm.
The Ballyare-based centre closed its doors in September after the withdrawal of The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).
The closure of the rehabilitation centre, which cared for thousands of animals over the last seven years, has been described locally as a “serious setback for animal welfare”.
Seven staff members lost their jobs and now local animal charities are struggling to manage without the centre.
After the ISPCA ignoring their pursuits for a meeting or information for the future of the centre, the organisers take to the gates of their beloved centre to show their perseverance for the animals of the county.
One of the main organisers, Kathleen Murray, spoke to the Donegal News ahead of tomorrow’s protest.
“As long as the centre remains closed, it is the animals that lose out the most.
“The more people support us, the more people can see how genuine we are and how much we really want the centre back,” she said.
The main aim of the protest is to stay in the minds of the NSCPA and show them that the people who want the centre back are not willing to go or stay away.
A post on social media said: “The protest is to remind the NSPCA that we’re still here and that we won’t be ignored or given the run around. We’ve been in contact with all the relevant people in this issue but need to give it a heavier push at this point.”
The centre was a place that had the space, facilities and support to handle the animals in Donegal with the necessary support. Now local animal charities are overrun with animals in need and they don’t have the capacity to hold them.
An online petition was set up by Mrs Murray at the time of its closure. There are currently over 2,500 signatures on the petition.
Anyone who is interested in supporting the campaign can attend the protest or can find updates and send messages to their Facebook page Save the Donegal Animal Shelter.