The shelter is closed to the general public until Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023. It is open for scheduled veterinary appointments and any animal cruelty reports.

For our location and a full list of contact details please click HERE

We are delighted to say that the shelter is now open to the public to visit. Opening hours are as follows:

Wednesday - Sunday from 12 until 4pm.

Please visit our website to see the pets available for adoption. Please also make sure to read the following;

Our adoption process here

Are you ready for a pet here

View pets currently available for adoption here

Sorry to hear that your pet is missing. Please visit Lost & Found Pets  

Please visit Lost & Found Pets. Please also try to bring the pet to a local vet to check for a microchip. 

Are main priority is helping the sick, injured and cruelly treated animals. We can help families who can not care for their pet anymore. There is a form that must be completed which you can find on this page of our website here. Please note that there is a waiting list for owner surrenders and an assessment will be carried out for all dogs prior to taking in your pet.

We can receive up to 30+ interest for anyone cat/dog on the website. When you submitted your "Register Your Interest" a message was displayed for you to read explaining that if you do not hear from the adoptions team it does not mean that you were not successful it means that others had applied before you. Also if you have applied for a cat/dog and do not meet with the required criteria for that specific cat/dog, ie. adult only home, experienced owner, can not live with another cat/dog, your application will not be sent to the adoptions team. If you miss out on a cat/dog you applied for you are not automatically added to a waiting list. You must apply again if another suitable cat/dog becomes available for adoption on the website.

Thank you for considering becoming a DSPCA foster. Please click here for information and how to register.

The DSPCA run a Mobile Vet Clinic which is available to those in receipt of certain social welfare payments. For more information and to see if you qualify for this service please click here.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a DSPCA volunteer. Our volunteers are very important to us and running of the shelter. For more information please click HERE

Stray cats living in your garden/premises are mostly feral cats. Feral cats are cats that cannot be touched or handled by people. Unfortunately, if the cats are feral we can not take them for rehoming as they are not suitable to be in a home environment.

Please note It is not permitted to bring feral cats to another location and release them as this is classed as “abandonment” under Irish legislation. The most productive thing to do for feral cats is to have them neutered as this will prevent further increase in the local feral cat population.

In order to have adult cats (over six months old) neutered at the DSPCA please read the following information.

Please read about our Neutering Programmes HERE

If the kittens are tame (they can be handled by humans) and they are seven weeks old or older, we can collect them from any part of Dublin. We do have a waiting list to take in kittens. Please email your details to info@dspca.ie and someone will contact you when we have room to take the kittens in.

If the kittens are feral and you would like to try to tame them you will need to start feeding them. Start off by feeding them while you stay in the garden and every day get closer to them. Eventually, you should be able to hold the food bowl while they feed from it. At this point, you should make a fake hand (a glove on a stick) and start to stroke them while they are feeding. When our shelter calls you to say they can collect the kittens they will need to be in a box/carrier so the kittens will need to trust you in order for this to be successful.

Stray Cats

We can help rehome stray cats once they are not feral (you can pet, touch and handle the cat). You can complete a Stray Cat Surrender Form HERE

Most of the time foxes will sleep in the garden and seem to be injured as they don’t move too much however if you walk towards the fox they will often jump up and run off. If the fox cannot run away when approached please contact our call centre on (01) 499 4700 or email info@dspca.ie

As with many other wild animals foxes live among us in Dublin including the city centre and have done so for many years. Generally, the DSPCA do not call out to remove them unless they are sick or injured.

Unfortunately, as the fox is a wild animal if he/she is sick/injured we are only able to help when the animal is not mobile or is contained in a small enclosed area, if he/she can run away we simply will not be able to catch it.

If you find an abandoned fox cub unable to leave an enclosed area with no mother present, try to help it on its way by placing a chair or something similar against the wall but if the cub is still trapped please call us.

Please note if a vixen has had her cubs in your garden she will move them on when the cubs are bigger, she will not stay in your garden long-term. Foxes do not attack humans however we advise not to get too close as this will frighten her, especially when protecting her cubs. Do not feed her or her cubs as this will encourage her closer to your house and do not leave out rubbish bags that she or her cubs can pull apart.

When the cubs are bigger they will play (like puppies) in your garden when you are not around, this can sometimes result in the cubs chewing up children’s toys like small footballs and other plastic/soft toys so be mindful of this and put the toys away after use.

Between April and September, it is common to find birds on the ground as this is "Fledgling Season". Fledging season is when young birds are learning to fly. Some young birds can almost be the same size as some adult birds. The first thing to do is check to see if there is any injury on the bird such as blood/cuts. Check for damage to the legs (if the bird can not stand) or damage to the wings such as a wing hanging down. You can throw a towel over the bird and pick it up this way. If there are no signs of injury but the bird still can not fly, it may be a young bird that has recently left the nest.

The best thing to do with a fledgling bird is to leave it on the ground, the parents are more than likely it watching and waiting for it up in a tree. The bird can take some hours before it will fly depending on the breed. Do not feed the bird or place it on a height, simply leave it where you found it. Keep an eye out for cats or other birds that may harm the young bird and chase them away if they try to attack it. The bird will take off by itself when the time is right. Outside of the Fledgling Season most birds found on the ground are probably injured so place the injured bird in a box and contact our shelter info@dspca.ie or your local vet.

Sometimes during nesting season, a young bird can fall out of a nest too soon, they are called nestlings. A nestling is usually still quite bald, they cannot really stand upright and the eyes may be closed, this bird will need assistance so please take a picture and email info@dspca.ie. Nestling seagulls look different, they are white/black spots or grey and are very fluffy with webbed feet, if you find one of these on the ground again take a picture and email info@dspca.ie for advice (watch out for adults overhead as they can be very protective).

If you have seen a horse(s) that you are concerned about, please email info@dspca.ie with the exact location, time, date and any photos.

Thank you for thinking of us, we are extremely grateful! Please see below a list of items that we can and can not accept. Donations can be dropped up the shelter Monday - Friday between 9.30am and 4.30pm.

We can accept - Please make sure all items are washed and clean.

Blankets

Towels

Teddys - UPDATE: 23rd  Jan 2023 - WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING ANY TEDDYS OR SOFT TOYS AT THE MOMENT

Newspapers

Cat toys

New and un-used cat scratching posts/boards

Dog toys

Vet bedding

Pet beds - new or in good condition with no holes or sharp edges that may injure a cat or dog

Dog collars

Dog leads (not retractable leads)

Pet carriers (please make sure they are in working order, safe and secure)

Unfortunately we can NOT accept any of the following:

Teddys/soft toys with beading as a filler

Duvets

Pillows

Cushions

Sheets

Duvet covers

Used cat scratching post

Pillows cases

Couch cushions

Sleeping bags

Old carpet

Pieces of foam

Dog kennels

Rabbit hutches/hamster cages/gerbil cages/bird cages

Pet Food: Unfortunately we can not accept cat or dog food. All the cats and dogs in the shelter are on specific food and a sudden change in their diet can cause diarrhoea.

Your local County Council are responsible for the removal of deceased animals on council land however if the animal is on private land there is no service provided by the council.

Please email info@dspca.ie and we will do our best to update you. Unfortunately our system may not have updates for injured birds.

The DSPCA have a wonderful Pet Hotel that can care for your pet while you go away on holidays. It is a very busy hotel and places book up very fast so please give yourself plenty on time to book your pet in. To book and read more click here 

The DSPCA has a wonderful training academy for dogs of all ages and breeds. To see all the dog training classes available and to see dates and locations Click here 

The DSPCA run camps throughout the year. To read more and to book a place please click  here.