NI council says DAERA funding cuts threaten animal welfare enforcement

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 the successful implementation of new legislation.”

In its letter to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA, the council says:

“Animal welfare cannot be improved through regulation alone, and requires properly resourced services capable of investigating complaints, tackling illegal breeding and protecting vulnerable animals.”

Animal welfare services within councils were fully funded by DAERA at a cost of around £1.25 million per year until August 2023, when the department said it could no longer provide funding for non-farmed animal welfare services due to budget pressures.

A judicial review was subsequently lodged in the High Court by Belfast City Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, acting on behalf of SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives), challenging the department’s decision. The court found there had been a breach on the grounds of a “procedural legitimate expectation”.

The final court order required DAERA to give advance notice to Stormont’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee before making any decision and to notify councils once that process had taken place. The order also required the department to reimburse the councils’ full legal costs relating to the judicial review.

A report presented to Belfast City Council states:

“Officers are now aware that a letter from the minister/permanent secretary was tabled at the AERA Committee on April 16, 2026. The letter advised the committee that DAERA does not intend to provide funding to councils for animal welfare services in 2026/27 due to budget constraints.”

In February, Minister Muir announced plans to introduce legislation requiring sellers and suppliers of puppies, along with sellers of kittens under six months old, to register with their local council. Those registering would also be required to meet specific conditions.

The council report states:

“Whilst officers welcome any steps to improve animal welfare, it has been stressed to departmental officials that councils do not have the capacity to implement this legislation and therefore there needs to be appropriate assurance around the resources which will be provided to councils to deliver this additional function.

“The department has indicated that the registration scheme would be self-financing. Council officers have asked for evidence to demonstrate that would be the case. To date, this additional supporting financial information has not been provided by the department.”

Green Party councillor Anthony Flynn spoke during this week’s monthly meeting of Belfast City Council at City Hall about the outcome of the judicial review and the introduction of new animal welfare legislation.

He said:

“I think it is deeply important that we actually recognise the excellent work carried out by animal welfare officers across Belfast and Northern Ireland.

“These officers deal with some of the most distressing cases of neglect, cruelty and illegal breeding, and the types of animal cruelty that exist in our community should horrify all of us.”

He added:

“What concerns me about the department’s response at the end of this case is the contradiction in its approach. On one hand, the DAERA minister is talking about strengthening animal welfare legislation by introducing new registration requirements for puppy and kitten sales. This is something I wholeheartedly agree with and have fought for over many years.

“However, on the other hand, the department is withdrawing funding from the very officers responsible for enforcing animal welfare legislation on the ground.

“It means local councils and local council officers will have huge additional responsibilities, but without the resources necessary to deal with them properly.

“If Stormont is serious about improving animal welfare standards, it cannot continue to place additional responsibilities on councils without demonstrating those responsibilities will be properly resourced.

“We cannot continue to expect Belfast ratepayers to absorb those additional costs while departments announce new schemes without the funding to support them. That is not good for animal welfare in our city, and it is not good for ratepayers.”

He added:

“Good animal welfare standards are achieved through properly funded enforcement, trained officers and effective regulation. Laws that cannot be properly enforced do not improve animal welfare standards in our city.”

Councillor Flynn successfully proposed an amendment to the council’s letter to the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee at Stormont.

DUP councillor Ruth Brooks also voiced support during the meeting.

She said:

“Issues that we really want to deal with in this city are being held back because of the amount of resources we as a council are having to put into animal welfare and our dog warden service.

“We are, as a council, failing to get some of the basics right because we are being asked to do so much. If we are going to tackle these issues, we cannot be left as the sole funders. There has to be funding from DAERA.”