Increase in calls to Waterford ISPCA this year

The Waterford ISPCA say they've received more calls over animal welfare in the first half of this year than the in the whole of 2016.

Currently there are 4 cases of animal cruelty going before the courts in Waterford and South Tipperary.

Waterford's ISPCA Inspector Alice Leacy says there as many cases before the courts nationally as there were in all of last year.

She says that the ISPCA's presence is having an impact on people's attitude to animal welfare.

Alice Leacy says the ISPCA can help in cases where a pet owner dies, leaving the animal on it's own.