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Irish Examiner
22-07-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
'I adopted a dog from a man I met on the street whose landlord didn't allow pets'
Several years ago, I spontaneously adopted a beautiful dog from a man I met on the street. We were on the waterfront in Cobh, and the young man was pleading (via a sign) for someone to take his beloved lurcher as the landlord of his new flat forbade dogs. As I was building in the countryside and urgently seeking a companion for another rescue, I told him I would take her to paradise. It was a lucky day for me, but that guy was left bereft and weeping as I drove away with his cherished pet. He knew he was welcome to come and see her at any time, and he called me to check on her progress on several occasions. Kya's daughter Faelen with their adopted lurcher Yemaya. Picture: Kya deLongchamps Yemaya was about six years old when we adopted her, and following spaying and microchipping, she lived happily for another ten years, until 2011. During her time with us, she was also delighted to act as foster mother to several other animals we took on through the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA). Yemaya, pictured in winter 2010 with Kya's husband Charlie and their daughter Faelen, was adored by the entire family. Picture: Kya deLongchamps Renting with a pet in tow presents particular problems, as it is completely at the discretion of your landlord. Dogs Trust Ireland has reported a 112% rise over 5 years in the number of people giving up their pets because their new home won't allow pets of any kind (restricted or otherwise). Given that only 7% of rental properties advertised on Daft allow pets, it's no surprise. Dogs Trust Ireland has reported a 112% rise over five years in the number of people giving up their pets. File picture Dogs Trust Ireland received over 400 calls from distraught owners who could not find accommodation to suit in 2024. It has multiple stories to share about the distress of being faced with this heartbreaking situation, fighting for the right to keep animals that most people regard as nothing short of family. One duo who faced this struggle is Celia Madrid Delgado and her dog Kai, reports the charity. 'Celia works as a canine carer at our re-homing centre in Dublin and had to apply to 300 properties before she found a rental home that would allow Kai,' according to Dogs Trust Ireland. The charity has set up a petition to demand government offer more flexible rental agreements for pet owners while protecting landlords from disruptive, destructive, or unsafe situations that could raise liability issues. For a link to the petition, go to The website also offers a useful list for landlords who might consider renting their property to a pet owner, with a list of recommendations. If you are renting or have rented in the past, try to secure a positive behaviour review for your dog or cat from your landlord, as this might prove a clincher in persuading an uncertain owner to let to you. An assurance that the property you rented previously was also kept in good order would be ideal. Generally, if you are ultimately forced to give up a dog, cat, bird or small furry, contact your local authority kennels or recognised animal charities first, and don't forget to ask for the help of your vet in sourcing a suitable new home. They may know someone whose heart and front door is wide open.
Irish Examiner
08-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Former stray Wilson ‘mad to go to work every day' as Garda sniffer dog
Meet Wilson, the rescue pup who has swapped pound life for a crime-fighting career with the gardaí. And the lively springer spaniel, who was handed into the Cork City animal shelter as a stray almost four years ago, has already shown he has a real nose for the work after he found a cache of cocaine during one of his first deployments. His handler, Garda Pat Harrington, of the Garda Southern Region Dog Unit, said his new partner looked set for a remarkable career in the force. 'He's my fourth sniffer dog in my 20-year career and he's a real dinger of a dog. He's just mad to go to work every day,' he said. 'Wilson is more than a dog and a colleague. He's a partner, and a best friend. He is now owned by people of Ireland, and he will serve them extremely well. Wilson was about six weeks old when, about four years ago, he and his sister were found as strays and handed in to the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) shelter in Mahon. They faced months in the pound awaiting adoption. But CSPCA manager Vincent Cashman said there was something special about the male pup as he cared for them at his family home, while they awaited their forever home. 'He was showing a little bit more promise,' Mr Cashman said. 'There are a few tests you can run to see if a dog has the kind of potential that some of those in the emergency or rescue services look for. 'For example, when we threw a ball, and if it got stuck in a tree, he'd look for it in the tree, not on the ground. 'Springers are intelligent dogs but he just showed a little more sharpness and intelligence, so I called a friend of mine in Irish Search Dogs, and said he was worth a shot.' The ISD trainer took the pup home and spent a few months on basic training and agreed he had huge potential, and she invited Garda Harrington to take a look at the now eight-month-old dog. When Garda Harrington saw him in action, he knew the dog had what was needed and he asked the ISD trainer to continue socialising the puppy, before gardaí returned a year later to assess the dog. 'He flew through that assessment, so we bought the dog and began a rigorous and intense training regime to get him qualified,' Garda Harrington said. Wilson is trained to detect illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and speed, as well as firearms and their component parts, bullets, and firearms residue on items like clothing, and he is also trained to sniff out cash. An injury delayed training but Wilson was fully certified last month and is now formally attached to the Southern Region Dog Unit, based in Douglas. He is trained to detect illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and speed, as well as firearms and their component parts, bullets, and firearms residue on items like clothing, and he is also trained to sniff out cash. He is on call 24/7 and can be deployed to assist in Garda operations across the southern region, and beyond. He helped recover an estimated €6,000 worth of cocaine in Tipperary during one of his first deployments. Garda Harrington said criminals find so many ways to hide drugs, guns and cash these days in compartments hidden in houses or cars. 'A dog is often the best tool we have to find these items, and take them off the streets,' he said. 'There is huge satisfaction when we find quantities of illegal drugs that can bring death and destruction to people, and we know that when we recover a gun or bullets, whether it's six or 60 bullets, we could have saved six lives or 60 lives." Read More Couple arrested in Cork City after elderly woman robbed by fake animal inspectors
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
'He's a partner, and a best friend': Meet Wilson, the rescue dog fighting crime in Cork
Meet Wilson, the rescue pup who has swapped pound life for a crime-fighting career with the gardaí. And the lively springer spaniel, who was handed into the Cork City animal shelter as a stray almost four years ago, has already shown he has a real nose for the work after he found a cache of cocaine during one of his first deployments. His handler, Garda Pat Harrington, of the Garda Southern Region Dog Unit, said his new partner looked set for a remarkable career in the force. 'He's my fourth sniffer dog in my 20-year career and he's a real dinger of a dog. He's just mad to go to work every day,' he said. 'Wilson is more than a dog and a colleague. He's a partner, and a best friend. He is now owned by people of Ireland, and he will serve them extremely well. Wilson was about six weeks old when, about four years ago, he and his sister were found as strays and handed in to the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) shelter in Mahon. They faced months in the pound awaiting adoption. But CSPCA manager Vincent Cashman said there was something special about the male pup as he cared for them at his family home, while they awaited their forever home. 'He was showing a little bit more promise,' Mr Cashman said. 'There are a few tests you can run to see if a dog has the kind of potential that some of those in the emergency or rescue services look for. 'For example, when we threw a ball, and if it got stuck in a tree, he'd look for it in the tree, not on the ground. 'Springers are intelligent dogs but he just showed a little more sharpness and intelligence, so I called a friend of mine in Irish Search Dogs, and said he was worth a shot.' The ISD trainer took the pup home and spent a few months on basic training and agreed he had huge potential, and she invited Garda Harrington to take a look at the now eight-month-old dog. When Garda Harrington saw him in action, he knew the dog had what was needed and he asked the ISD trainer to continue socialising the puppy, before gardaí returned a year later to assess the dog. 'He flew through that assessment, so we bought the dog and began a rigorous and intense training regime to get him qualified,' Garda Harrington said. Wilson is trained to detect illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and speed, as well as firearms and their component parts, bullets, and firearms residue on items like clothing, and he is also trained to sniff out cash. An injury delayed training but Wilson was fully certified last month and is now formally attached to the Southern Region Dog Unit, based in Douglas. He is trained to detect illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, cannabis and speed, as well as firearms and their component parts, bullets, and firearms residue on items like clothing, and he is also trained to sniff out cash. He is on call 24/7 and can be deployed to assist in Garda operations across the southern region, and beyond. He helped recover an estimated €6,000 worth of cocaine in Tipperary during one of his first deployments. Garda Harrington said criminals find so many ways to hide drugs, guns and cash these days in compartments hidden in houses or cars. 'A dog is often the best tool we have to find these items, and take them off the streets,' he said. 'There is huge satisfaction when we find quantities of illegal drugs that can bring death and destruction to people, and we know that when we recover a gun or bullets, whether it's six or 60 bullets, we could have saved six lives or 60 lives." Read More Couple arrested in Cork City after elderly woman robbed by fake animal inspectors
