RIP for Pets

02/05/2026

Help to combat Animal Cruelty by reporting incidents to our helpline.

☎️Phone 01 607 2379
📧[email protected]

All animal welfare reports are processed in the strictest of confidence.

NSPCA Animal Rescue Dogs Trust Ireland

28/04/2026

'This is hard to say. But they wanted her to die so they wouldn’t have to look at her anymore'.

Reluctant animal rescuer, as she calls herself, Catríona Lowry is talking about finding a pony tied up in a field and the reactions of people living nearby when she tried to intervene to save the pony’s life.

Her inability to just walk away led to her starting Hilltop Animal Sanctuary in east Clare.

But being a rescuer is inherently tough financially and emotionally, and earlier this month she took to X in a plea to her followers to see if they had anything they might be able to sell on Vinted to help with the costs of keeping Hilltop open. Due to the sheer volume of demand for places for neglected, unloved and abandoned animals, and the costs associated with caring for them, Lowry finds herself constantly worried about keeping the doors open.

Rescuing animals wasn’t part of her life plan – Lowry worked in fashion, PR, radio, journalism and teaching jobs. Nowadays, she writes books in whatever free time she has to pay to keep the animals fed, sheltered and cared for.

The experience of seeing that pony tied up with barely enough grass at its feet changed the course of her life in 2015. She rang around 'the numbers you’re supposed to call'. But nobody came. When she started to feed the pony, she got abuse from the 'people living in the lovely houses' nearby. One woman screamed at her that she was a disgrace.

Lowry calmly told her that the pony would die if she did not intervene. 'I found it hard to digest. These people would go to mass and yet watch a beautiful pony starve to death'.

She has found herself in tricky, often dangerous situations to save animals. 'People have this idea that rescues are these well-funded, heavenly places when it’s lots of physically demanding work, lots of tears and some happy ever afters. I am definitely a reluctant rescuer, but when no one picks up those welfare phones, ordinary people have to step up, I guess'

26/04/2026

FOSTER APPEAL FOR NELL
We are looking for an encouraging and fun foster home for Nell. A foster home where she has a companion dog(s). We don't often seek fosters, but there are a couple of reasons why both Nell and WCAWG would benefit from an experienced foster home.
1) This sensitive girl kennels poorly - the noise of dogs barking sends her into spinning-mode which ultimately leads to lameness and over-tiredness.
2) we still aren't 100% sure what this girl needs from a home. Even though she did not work out with the female dog when we rehomed her, she adored the male. She kennels with a female here perfectly and the adopter did say it was their female at fault. We all agree it would be fab to find her a steady male dog in the home, but we don't want to discount living with a female just yet.
Also, Nell is loving, trusting and happy with all of our team at WCAWG but is unsure about new people, sudden movements etc. There is no new learning for her at our centre, she needs the scope to learn about people and living in a home.
We would be so grateful if someone would take her away from the over-stimulation of the centre and try to work on developing confidence and robustness. We would value a foster's observations in order to make her next move 100% right and for life 💕
Thank you for taking the time to read about little Nell, if interested in fostering her (ideally locally to West Cork) email [email protected] or pm the page.

26/04/2026

UPDATE: We have something sorted for Lady🤞🤞 We'll share an update next week. Thanks so much for helping her with all your shares!!..

Terrible news💔... We failed to find a home for Lady after our last appeal, and now she will likely have to go to the Pound next week🥺😭 Her foster dad can only keep her until Wednesday... We’re desperate to change her story, so we’re begging you all to please share her gorgeous face so that we can find her a suitable foster home, or even better – her forever home🙏🤞 She’s such a cuddly girl who thrives on human company and home comforts, and going to the Pound will be distressing for her.

Lady is almost 2 years old, and is incredibly loving, affectionate, and devoted to her people. The main reason she hasn’t found a home yet is that she needs to be the only dog in the house as she’s shown some resource guarding before. Outside the home she’s friendly with dogs she meets. She is absolutely WONDERFUL WITH CATS, and can happily live with many feline friends😻

We’re really hoping to find someone who has experience with Malinois or other working breeds – as Lady needs a lot of exercise and stimulation. She’s fully house-trained, crate-trained, great on the lead, and travels calmly in the car. She would do best in a calm, adult-only home.

If we can’t find her a foster or forever home in the next few days, she will have to go to the Pound. Please, if you live in Ireland and can take her even temporarily, or if you know someone who might be right for her, get in touch urgently or fill out our fostering form below. And if you can’t help directly, sharing this could be what changes her life🙏🐾

https://service.sheltermanager.com/asmservice?account=caw&method=online_form_html&formid=44

25/04/2026

World Veterinary Day is celebrated annually on the last Saturday of April to honour the essential role veterinarians play in protecting animal health, public health and the environment.

22/04/2026

When our service first launched, the response from the media was incredibly encouraging. The idea of a gentle online space where people could honour and remember their beloved pets resonated deeply and the coverage across newspapers, radio and online platforms reflected that warmth and understanding. But something interesting began to happen.
Almost without exception, the media started referring to the service as “RIP for Pets.ie. ”‍It wasn’t something we had set out to do at the time, but it was a name that people immediately understood. It felt familiar, respectful and uniquely suited to what we were offering. There was a natural clarity to it that connected straight away with the public. The challenge, of course, was that our original name was Rest Easy Friend, and that created a disconnect. People were hearing about “RIP for Pets.ie” but trying to find it under a different name. ‍
Rather than resist it, we paid close attention. What became clear was that “RIP for Pets.ie” wasn’t just a label the media had chosen. It was how people instinctively described the service. It captured, in a simple and meaningful way, exactly what the platform was about, a place to say goodbye, to remember and to honour a much-loved companion. So we embraced it.
The acquisition of www.ripforpets.ie marked a natural turning point. It allowed us to align fully with how people were already thinking and speaking about the service. Today, RIP for Pets.ie is the name people recognise, while Rest Easy Friend Ltd remains the company behind it. It is more than a rebrand. It is a coming together of intention and understanding. RIP for Pets.ie now stands clearly as what it was always meant to be, a calm and lasting space where love and memories live on.‍
Sometimes, the right name finds you.

17/04/2026

With more pollen and environmental allergens around at this time of year, some pets may start to show signs of allergies 🤧

Keep an eye out for:
• Itching or discomfort
• Sneezing and watery eyes
• Licking or chewing paws
• Red or irritated skin
• Ear issues or head shaking

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it’s always best to have your pet checked by your vet 🐾

11/04/2026

04/04/2026

Queen Miss Marple 👑 🩷