The 2018 Pet festival event was a great success which saw the participation of about 3,000 people. Pet owners and family gathered in Rathfarnham, where the DSPCA shelter and other facilities are located. This is a great occasion for the organization to fundraise for the many sick, injured and cruelly treated animals it cares for every day. Throughout the day several activities were promoted to engage with kids, pets owners and perspective ones.

The shelter dogs were presented to the crowd in a défilé that was broadcasted via facebook live, meantime happy dogs were running in the area dedicated to dog training and canine behavior.

The Pet Festival event also allows the Dublin community to learn more about DSPCA activities and support that the center can provide to help animals and owners in their daily life. Thanks to the  veterinary hospital, pet hotel, dog day care and dog training activities, DSPCA raises profit which go back into the Dublin SPCA Animal Rescue Charity to ensure more animals & wildlife a safe place were to stay were waiting for a loving forever home.

Ireland has also serious issue concerning horse abandonment and negligence of horses, a problem which is particularly spread among Irish traveler communities where horse owners are often leaving their animals to fly-graze on public land. However, in some areas the problem has been reducing slowly, thanks to the dedicated work of NGOs who have carried out cooperative activities with these communities, as well as to projects such as the Fettercairn Youth Horse Project, a community based horse riding centre.

The project trains young people in Fettercairn in horse riding skills, animal welfare and horse management skills. Training programmes in riding and stable management are designed and delivered to local schools and youth groups, as well as riders with physical and/or learning disabilities and young people from socially excluded groups including traveling communities.