The ISPCA is calling on the Departments of Environment, Agriculture and local authorities to take definitive action against dog breeders who flout the law.

It comes after a BBC Panorama programme filmed inside one of the largest licensed puppy farms in the country in Co Cavan.

The show says most of the puppies there are destined for the UK market, and that "demand for certain breeds means puppies are being bred on a scale never seen before".

It says that one breeding dog can produce stg£5,000 (€6,393) worth of puppies a year. The farm in question has a licence for 300 breeding dogs.

Footage showed dogs that had just given birth and who are about to give birth kept in illegal wooden boxes.

Cavan County Council told the BBC six inspections had been carried out on the premises in the last 12 months, and they "hadn't encountered any direct evidence of any welfare problems".

Image: ISPCA

It says the owner of the farm, Raymond Cullivan, did not respond to requests for comment. The ISPCA says it raised the conditions at the farm back in November 2015.

"As a result of information received from our colleagues in the Scottish SPCA, ISPCA Inspectors visited Cullivan's premises and were shocked at the conditions", it says.

FOI request rejected

However the ISPCA say they have no powers in relation to the Dog Breeding Establishments Act - and have raised concerns with Cavan County Council.

The ISPCA adds that it offered to accompany Cavan County Council and the Department of Environment on a joint inspection but their offer was declined.

"We were particularly concerned about the use of the portable crates...which are not permitted under the DBE Act 2010 Guidelines".

"We demanded that Cavan County Council take enforcement action without delay against Cullivan and to confirm that the crates were no longer being used".

Image: ISPCA

"However, Cavan County Council failed to respond and we raised the matter with the Veterinary Council of Ireland who asked the Department of Environment for more resources to allow Inspections and enforcement action to be taken", it adds.

The ISPCA also submitted a Freedom of Information request to Cavan County Council asking for details of inspections at this site, details of any breaches of the DBE Act and details of enforcement action taken.

They say their FOI request was denied on the grounds that that the information may contain 'trade secrets' and commercially sensitive information.

They have already submitted an appeal and are awaiting a response.

The ISPCA has also supplied footage that was taken at the premises: