Dear Minister,

We, the undersigned, are calling on your office to urgently intervene in a deeply troubling case involving the forced return of a severely emaciated dog to her owner by An Garda Síochána—despite overwhelming evidence of neglect and lawful intervention by animal welfare volunteers.

Last week, a dog was rescued following a report from a concerned member of the public. At the time, the homeowners were absent. Our animal rescue volunteers acted responsibly and lawfully, contacting the local Garda Station to request permission to enter the premises. Gardaí granted this permission, and the dog was removed for urgent veterinary care.

Despite a report by the emergency vet which stated that the dogs emaciated condition was unlikely to have been caused by diabetes alone, Gardaí later came to Kildare Animal Foundation with a warrant and took the dog before returning her to the owner.

We would like to bring the following facts to your attention:

Contrary to prior statements by the Garda Press Office, no member of An Garda Síochána attended the veterinary clinic with the dog. The animal was transported and presented for care solely by volunteers from Kildare Animal Foundation. Gardaí were not involved in arranging or attending this medical assessment.

There is no documented veterinary evidence showing that this dog had been under regular or adequate care prior to the rescue. The current veterinary report held by the Kildare Animal Foundation provides compelling evidence of sustained neglect, documenting the dog’s severe malnourishment, complete blindness due to untreated diabetes, dangerously unstable blood glucose levels, and overall physical decline—all consistent with prolonged neglect rather than responsible care.

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that you:

1. Facilitate the return of the dog to the shelter where she received the care she desperately needed.

2. Call for a full and independent investigation into the Garda handling of this case.