NEWS

Dogs Trust foster carer Janet Millar, with dog Jeff For Janet Millar, opening her home to rescue dogs waiting for their forever families has brought companionship, routine and purpose — and now the County Antrim woman is encouraging others to consider doing the same. The Parkgate resident says becoming a foster carer for Dogs Trust Ballymena was “the best decision I’ve ever made”, as the charity launches an appeal for more volunteers across Northern Ireland to help meet growi

Don’t miss paw-some fun this weekend as Barket returns to The Junction, Antrim Thousands of visitors and their four-legged companions are expected to descend on Antrim this weekend as one of Northern Ireland’s biggest pet-friendly events returns for a third year. Barket will take over The Junction Retail and Leisure Park on Saturday, July 4, transforming the popular destination into a celebration of pets, animal lovers and local independent businesses. Running from 11am until

The young collie dog that was punched and abused by its Antrim owner. An Antrim man has been banned from keeping animals for a decade after a court heard he repeatedly punched a young collie, twisted her neck and slammed her to the ground in an attack captured on video. Dan Hustiu, from the Antrim area, was sentenced at Antrim Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, June 25, after previously pleading guilty to charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and failing to ensu

Ballymena Magistrates’ Court A farmer has been banned from owning or keeping animals after a court heard serious animal welfare failings led to 19 calves being euthanised because they were suffering unnecessarily. Ian Wilson, 55, of Ballydermot Lane, Bellaghy, appeared before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court today where he was sentenced for ten offences under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and one offence under the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) Regulations

As temperatures climb across the UK and parts of the country face a rare red heat warning, Dogs Trust Ballymena is urging dog owners to rethink their daily walking routines, warning that a missed walk is far safer than a dog suffering painful burns or potentially life-threatening heatstroke. The charity says many owners underestimate how quickly hot weather can become dangerous for dogs, particularly when pavements, roads and other hard surfaces absorb heat throughout the day

Stock photo A Ballymena dog owner has appealed for witnesses to come forward after his 10-year-old Border Collie was left fighting for her life following a violent attack by two loose Bully-type dogs in the town’s Demesne estate. The incident happened at around 8.15pm on Thursday, June 18, on a green area at Glenshesk Drive near Demesne Avenue. The owner says his dog, who was being walked on a lead at the time, suffered multiple puncture wounds to her face, legs and stomach a

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has raised concerns over the potential cost of proposed animal welfare changes that could require pet cats to be microchipped. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is carrying out a public consultation on a series of proposed reforms to animal welfare policy in Northern Ireland. The department is seeking views on measures including increased dog licence fees, the regulation of rescue and rehoming organisation

Farmers allowing calving seasons to drift over long periods are quietly losing efficiency, calf weight and profitability, according to a new warning from CAFRE beef and sheep adviser Jack Friar. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise says maintaining a compact calving pattern remains one of the clearest indicators of reproductive performance in suckler herds — with late-calving cows creating a knock-on effect that can become increasingly difficult to reverse. M

Belfast City Council has warned Stormont that it is “undermining” animal welfare by introducing new legislation without providing funding to support enforcement services across Northern Ireland. The council has agreed to write to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), stating it is “concerned that introducing additional animal welfare responsibilities, without providing adequate resources, risks undermining both existing enforcement activity and

USPCA CEO Heather Weir and Baroness Sue Gray The USPCA has appointed Baroness Sue Gray as its new chair at a time when the Northern Ireland animal welfare charity says demand for its services has surged to unprecedented levels. The former senior civil servant and current member of the House of Lords takes over leadership of the organisation following a year in which the charity responded to more than 2,300 wildlife rescues and handled almost 69,000 calls from the public. Her

Local woman, Ann Lamont, happy volunteering at Dogs Trust Ballymena A County Antrim woman who promised herself she would one day help rescue dogs after losing her beloved pet has now given more than 1,000 hours of service to homeless hounds at Dogs Trust Ballymena. Ann Lamont, from near Kells, has become one of the rehoming centre’s most recognisable faces after spending the past two years volunteering in its laundry room — affectionately known by staff and volunteers as “Ann

A major new cross-border attempt to tackle bovine tuberculosis across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has secured £4 million in public funding — but questions are already being raised over whether it will deliver real change for farming families living through repeated herd breakdowns. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir confirmed the funding allocation on Tuesday as part of a wider research programme focused on reducing bovine TB in cattle across the Derry and Strabane a

Paul Frew MLA with Tara Cunningham, manager Causeway Coast Dog Rescue, with Archie the dog taking centre stage, as they lead the pathway for Rubys Law in Northern Ireland. Animals used to control and terrorise victims of domestic abuse could soon receive stronger legal protection in Northern Ireland under proposed changes tabled by North Antrim MLA Paul Frew. The amendments to the Justice Bill would make it an aggravating offence to hurt — or threaten to hurt — an animal con

*Stock image A dog owner has been banned from keeping dogs for 20 years after a series of attacks involving an unlicensed French Bulldog left three women injured — including victims who suffered severe facial injuries. The case, which was brought before Laganside Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, followed three separate attacks between October 2024 and April 2025 that triggered a major investigation by enforcement officers from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Co

Northern Ireland’s poultry sector will see all remaining bird flu restrictions lifted from just after midnight on Friday, marking the end of months of mandatory disease control measures introduced to protect flocks across the region. The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), which has been in force since 1 November 2025, will officially end at 00:01 on Friday 15 May 2026 alongside the ban on poultry gatherings. The move means poultry shows, bird gatherings and related event

Northern Ireland’s leading companion animal welfare organisations have backed sweeping proposed changes to dog breeding laws, saying the reforms could help crack down on low-welfare breeding practices and raise standards across the industry. The Northern Ireland Companion Animal Welfare Group (NICAWG) has welcomed the findings of DAERA’s independent Expert Advisory Group Breeding Review, published on Friday, May 8, describing the recommendations as a major opportunity to stre

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir pictured with Expert Advisory Group members (L-R) Susan Cunningham, Professor Gareth Arnott and Vanessa Barnes. Recommendations aimed at dramatically strengthening dog breeding welfare standards in Northern Ireland have been handed to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), paving the way for what could become the most significant overhaul of breeding regulations in years. An independent Expert Advisory Group has comple

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir launches major animal welfare reform consultation for Northern Ireland Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir has launched a major public consultation on new animal welfare reforms in Northern Ireland, including proposals to regulate rescue and rehoming organisations, tighten dog microchipping rules, ban certain training devices, and increase dog licence fees. The consultation mar

Dog owners visiting Northern Ireland’s most scenic outdoor locations are being urged to keep their pets firmly on leads, as NI Water warns that failing to do so could put livestock, wildlife, and livelihoods at serious risk - and may result in fines of up to £1,000. With warmer weather drawing increasing numbers of visitors to beauty spots across the region, the public body has issued a clear message: keep your dog on the lead, whatever their breed. Spring brings heightened r

William Irvine, UFU President, Richard King, The Andersons Centre, Ian Stevenson, NI Dairy Council, Colin Smith, LMC, Glenn Cuddy, UFU deputy president, and Michael Haverty, The Andersons Centre. Northern Ireland’s farming families are shouldering an estimated £96 million in indirect costs every year as a result of bovine Tuberculosis, according to a landmark new independent report launched today, laying bare the scale of a crisis that continues to hit farm profitability, fa