From the 2nd of April 2012, District Councils will have responsibility for enforcement of the powers in the Welfare of Animals (NI) Act 2011, in respect of non-farmed animals e.g. domestic pets of any vertebrate species and equines (horses and donkeys).
Local Councils have adopted a collaborative regional approach to the new legislation and have appointed five Animal Welfare Officers to enforce animal welfare in respect of non-farmed animals, only across Northern Ireland. The Officers will have statutory enforcement powers and can take a range of action to improve the welfare of non-farmed animals including, providing advice, issuing an improvement notice, taking animals into their possession, and initiating prosecution action.
The five officers cover the whole of Northern Ireland working on a regional basis. If you need to report an animal welfare issue during office hours Monday – Friday 9am-5pm you should contact the appropriate telephone number relating to the region you live in. After 5pm Monday to Friday and at weekends and over holiday periods contact the same number and your call will be diverted to an answering service.
Belfast City Council Area
Telephone:02890270431
Eastern Area (5 Councils) Ards, Castlereagh, Down, Lisburn and North Down
Telephone:02890494567
Northern Area (10 Councils) Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Cookstown, Larne, Magherafelt, Moyle and Newtownabbey
Telephone:02825660412
Southern Area (5 Councils) Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Dungannon and Newry and Mourne
Telephone 028 37515800
Western Area (5 Councils) Derry, Fermanagh, Limavady, Omagh and Strabane
Telephone:028822562226
Welfare complaints in respect of farmed animals (that is animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool or skin or other farming purposes) should be referred to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Divisional Veterinary Office details of which can be obtained at the following link
www.dardni.gov.uk/welfareofanimalsenforcementroles.
Welfare complaints in respect of wild animals or animal fighting should be referred to your local Police Station.