Following a high number of surrender requests this year, we are urging people to think about the lifelong commitment and responsibility that comes with owning a dog and to wait until after Christmas to consider taking on a new addition to the family.

After spending almost three years waiting to be adopted, a couple who work at Dogs Trust Ireland pulled out all the stops and moved into a new house just to give a nine-year-old Belgian Shepherd his forever home.

We are urging the public to be the voice for the voiceless mums and pups in Ireland by signing our petition to create a different type of demand – a demand to eradicate puppy farming in Ireland.

Dogs Trust Ireland would like to congratulate BBC Northern Ireland on last night’s excellent but hard-hitting and upsetting programme on puppy smuggling.