RESIDENTS IN Dublin City Council housing will be allowed to keep breeds of potentially dangerous dogs such as rottweilers and German shepherds if they comply with new rules.
Even though the animals were outlawed after a restricted list was drawn up last year, the council yesterday announced that owners would be allowed to keep their pets if certain conditions are met. The dogs must be neutered, spayed and micro-chipped in order to keep track of them and prevent uncontrolled breeding.
The scheme is available to tenants who owned one of the restricted dogs before the ban was introduced on July 1st last year, but dogs obtained after that date are still banned.
Vincent Healy, senior executive officer at the council's housing and residential services, said the compromise was an alternative to killing many dogs.
"In respect of the 10 restricted breeds of dog, we acknowledge that a number of our tenants are responsible dog owners and have built up a relationship with one of these breeds, who would understandably be upset if they had to give their dog away or have it put down," he said.
"We are happy to allow them to keep their dogs provided they agree to have them micro-chipped and neutered or spayed.
"However, we remain steadfast in achieving our primary objective to ensure that our streets, parks, and council neighbourhoods are safe for people to walk and for children to play in."
Tenants who owned one of the restricted dogs before the ban was introduced last July can avail of a free scheme to have their dog neutered, spayed or micro-chipped. The dogs must be muzzled, kept on a lead in a public place and under control.
All Dublin City Council tenants will be informed of the initiative by leaflet drop.
Mr Healy said if tenants persisted in illegally keeping one of the 10 restricted breeds, they would be hit with a notice to quit, ultimately ending up in eviction.
The restricted breeds are the American pit bull terrier, English bull terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier, bull mastiff, Doberman pinscher; German shepherd or alsatian; the Japanese akita and Japanese tosa; Rhodesian ridgeback and the rottweiler.
