ANIMAL Rescue Charities have called for a crackdown on the rules surrounding ownership of exotic animals after a picture of a zebra inside a Co Clare pub circulated widely online.
The foal zebra was photographed in various locations – including a local pub – after the Ennistymon Horse Fair on Sunday.
Some people branded the image of the zebra and a pony in the pub whilst its owner enjoyed a pint as “utterly disgusting”.
Zebras are wild animals and while there is no legislation to protect them in this country, and no requirement for a licence, animal charities have called for the protection of all exotic species here.
Sharing a snap of the zebra online, My Love Horse Rescue said: “A poor zebra…there’s enough cruelty in this country without adding another poor animal to the mix.
“Pony and zebra in a local bar!!!! An Garda Siochana Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Wouldn’t take much to find out the owner of this establishment!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
“Email, phone, local TDs and government Ireland has become a shameful animal cruelty country.”
One person branded the picture as “sickening” whilst another claimed it was “utterly disgusting”.
Clare Dog Warden Frankie Coote has explained how there are no extra legal obligations for exotic animals beyond paperwork and licensing upon import.
He told the Clare Champion: “You need a license for a dog, but not for a lion, a tiger or a zebra.
“Bringing them into the country would be a problem and would need a lot of paperwork, but once they are here, there isn’t really anything.
“If there is animal welfare concerns then that is different, that is the only way that people can get involved. If an animal was being kept in bad condition. There is nothing to suggest that from the images [online].
“The animal [the foal zebra] is young, so obviously its father and mother must be here in Ireland too. It looks young, he hardly came from Africa yesterday.”
The dog warden told how, if a person is coming into the country with a lion, tiger or zebra, they must license it upon import.
‘CRUELTY’
But once the animal is in the country, Cootes warned that this is “where the problem arises”.
He added: “Really proper legislation should be brought in to cover this. He could have been walking around there with a lion or a tiger and there is nothing that anyone could do about it.”
Clare Animal Welfare also condemned the incident.
The charity posted a picture of a child going towards the zebra to pet it on the streets of Ennistymon on Sunday and said: “This is not a hoax.
“This cruelty is going on in Ennistymon, Co. Clare at the horse fair.”
The Irish Sun has contacted the Department of Agriculture for comment.
