Recently, the heartbreaking news of two dogs being abandoned and left to starve to death in locked crates shook our community. These innocent animals suffered unimaginably due to neglect, while the individuals responsible continue to have the opportunity to own more animals. This is the stark reality of our current animal welfare system—one that fails to protect vulnerable animals from repeat offenders. We cannot stand by while this continues to happen.

Despite being convicted of severe neglect or cruelty, offenders find loopholes that allow them to acquire new animals. Our laws, though well-intentioned, lack the enforceable measures needed to prevent those found guilty of egregious animal cruelty from repeating their actions. Judicial discretion regarding ownership bans leaves animals at risk and provides no assurance of protection.

To make tangible strides in animal welfare, we need to implement a comprehensive solution. We are urging the government to create a centralized, public, and searchable animal abuse register. Such a registry would enable authorities and the public to identify those convicted of animal cruelty, thereby preventing further harm.

Moreover, it is imperative that we introduce automatic, mandatory lifetime bans on animal ownership for anyone convicted of cruelty. By doing so, we can ensure that convicted abusers cannot easily continue acquiring and harming animals. These measures are not only essential but also fair and just, prioritizing the safety and welfare of animals first and foremost.

It is time for change. We must take concrete steps to ensure that abuses are not merely punished but also preemptively prevented. The creation of a public animal abuse register and lifetime bans would represent significant progress towards this goal.

Establish a Banned Animal Offenders Register, Strengthen Enforcement, and Introduce "Good Samaritan" Rescue Laws in Northern Ireland

We, the undersigned, call on the Northern Ireland Assembly to modernise the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 by vastly expanding enforcement capabilities and introducing strictly regulated emergency entry provisions to protect suffering animals. We also call on the Northern Ireland Assembly to execute a comprehensive modernisation of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to close critical loopholes that let animal abusers go unmonitored and leave abandoned animals to die.

Currently, local councils lack the resources, uniform database tracking, and personnel necessary to effectively combat puppy farming and severe animal neglect. Furthermore, private citizens and registered rescues face criminal prosecution if they step onto private property to save a visibly abandoned or dying animal.

We demand that the Stormont Assembly enact legislative changes to provide:Enhanced Enforcement Frameworks: Increase statutory funding for Council Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) to ensure 24/7 emergency response coverage across all council districts.

Modern Compliance Tools: Introduce a mandatory, centralized Northern Ireland database linking dog licenses, microchips, and breeder registrations to easily identify and penalise illicit breeding rings and negligent owners.

Stricter Statutory Penalties: Mandate higher minimum fines and longer prison sentences for individuals who deliberately breach animal deprivation bans or abuse animals.

"Good Samaritan" Emergency Entry: Create a legally safeguarded exemption permitting citizens or charity workers to intervene when an animal faces an imminent threat to life, provided official services cannot respond immediately and video evidence of the entry is captured to guarantee accountability.

Currently, courts routinely issue bans preventing neglectful or abusive owners from keeping pets. However, Northern Ireland has no central, searchable database of these individuals. This lack of data allows offenders to acquire new animals immediately without rehoming shelters, vets, or reputable breeders knowing their criminal history. Furthermore, compassionate citizens face criminal charges if they step onto private property to save a visibly starving or abandoned animal.We petition the Stormont Assembly to pass a legislative package that mandates:

A Centralized Banned Offender Register: Create a secure, managed database—similar to the Sex Offender Register—listing all individuals convicted of animal cruelty or disqualified from owning animals. This database must be accessible to local council inspectors, police, veterinary practices, and rehoming charities to block abusers from obtaining animals.

Enhanced Enforcement & 24/7 Cover: Provide ring-fenced statutory funding to local council animal welfare teams to ensure immediate, round-the-clock emergency responses.

Closing Household Loopholes: Toughen the law so that if an individual is banned from keeping animals, no other member of their shared household can legally register or keep animals on that property, stopping proxy pet ownership

Sign this petition to demand action from our government. Ensure animals are safeguarded against the cruelty of repeat offenders and that justice serves to protect the innocent lives that cannot speak for themselves. Join us in making this crucial change for the wellbeing of all animals.