€85,750 has been granted locally across four different groups in a landmark animal welfare funding announcement.
It's part of a €3.7m nationwide fund announced today by the Minister of Agriculture.
€40,000 has been allocated to the Waterford SPCA on the Upper Yellow Road in Waterford City.
In a statement, they told WLR of their delight.
"We are very grateful to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for their support. We're absolutely over the moon to get €40,000. It's been a difficult year for the society as fundraising was greatly curtailed due to Covid restrictions. We would like to tell the public that we are always there to help in whatever way that we can with animals and encourage people to call us if they have any concerns, big or small - regarding the welfare of an animal."
Waterford Animal Welfare on the Quay in Waterford have received €19,000.
The Animal Trust Fund in Barristown, Passage has also availed of €8,000.
While in the west of the county, Deise Animal Sanctuary based in Ballymacarbry was granted €18,750.
€668,500 was rolled out to the ISPCA as part of the funding.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced funding of over €3.7million to 98 organisations nationwide. The funding announcement was made on the inaugural Animal Welfare Awareness Day, an initiative of the Minister to raise awareness of welfare.
Making the announcement the Minister said the funding for welfare organisations across Ireland was evidence of the Government’s on-going commitment to the animal welfare and acknowledged the important role played by animal welfare organisations. To mark the day, the Minister visited donkeys housed at Farmleigh Estate together with the Donkey Sanctuary and visited the DSPCA headquarters in Rathfarnham, Dublin,
“I am delighted that on the first ever Animal Welfare Awareness Day, I can acknowledge the fantastic effort and commitment of our amazing animal welfare organisations and, indeed, the many volunteers dedicated to animal welfare. These organisation play such a crucial role in ensuring all our animals are cared for and protected. This is frontline work that we can all be proud of.
“In line with our commitment in the Programme for Government, these awards mark the largest award of grant funding to animal welfare bodies ever made by my Department. This additional support will make a real difference to the welfare of animals nationwide.”
