OUR HISTORY AS A CHARITY

The Sligo S.P.C.A. goes back many years, growing as many things do, not steadily year by year but in bursts followed by periods of relative quietness and even inactivity. Olive McKinley arrived in Sligo in 1976 and joined the Society when it was in a period of revival under the chairmanship of Sandy Percival of Temple House. At that time the current President Mrs Robina Lyons and also the late Annie Finnegan were very active. The society was supported by Tom Conway, a paid Inspector provided by the I.S.P.C.A. in Dublin, who was a retired Garda living in Enniscrone. Tom was kept very busy over the years but when he retired no replacement was appointed.

The following period was consequently quiet with the only changes being the proposal that local government take on the responsibility of setting up dog shelters employing dog wardens with the help and advice of the I.S.P.C.A. of Dublin. This was in response to the 1986 Control of Dogs act where any dog found loose in the streets was to be caught and kept for a minimum of 5 days at which time if not claimed or rehomed, would be disposed of. The current Dog Pound was started and this serves both Sligo and Leitrim.

However, this did not provide for the problem of all types of animal found to be in distress and it was then that Mrs Mary Weir took it upon herself to try and fill the enormous role on a voluntary basis. It was not long before the demands of the community far outstripped what one person could achieve but thankfully in the mid 1990's a number of new and younger members joined the society and managed to help with the inspector's job.

In 1966 Annie Finnegan passed away, leaving £274,000 IR to the Society to continue its work of educating dog and cat owners to neuter and spay their animals, and to provide a shelter for the care and eventual rehoming of many animals which would otherwise suffer neglect and possible cruelty.

In December 2000 a 10 acre property was purchased at Coolaney, about 12 miles from Sligo town in Co. Sligo. During the ensuing 4 years the property has been fully fenced, some of the land drained, farm buildings erected and the small farmhouse restored. A family of orphaned mallard ducklings even led to the digging of a pond! Known as The Annie Finnegan Animal Shelter, it is a delightful site which we hope will become a place of refuge and sanctuary for animals and helpers alike.

Any and all ideas are welcomed and anyone who is able to offer help may wish to check our "YOUR HELP NEEDED" page for ways in which you can personally make a difference to the plight of animals in Co. Sligo.