A fake news story circulating on social media claims that the Irish government has approved another €150 million allocation for Ukrainian pet welfare. The fake screenshot features a fabricated headline from Irish broadcaster RTÉ, but the news story is not legitimate. RTÉ News confirmed that the story is fake, and there is no evidence to support the claim. In reality, Ireland has received over 106,000 Ukrainian refugees since the invasion began in February 2022.
At the start of the conflict, Ireland did allocate funds for pets traveling with Ukrainian owners, but this has since ceased. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine stated that they have spent over €815,000 in relation to pets from Ukraine since 2022. This funding covered measures to control the risks associated with pets arriving in Ireland from Ukraine and to help refugees get their pets compliant with animal health requirements. These funds are no longer available, and there are no further costs pending in relation to pets from Ukraine at this time.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin defended the state’s spending on transporting and accommodating pets from Ukraine as a “humanitarian” and “compassionate” response. He stated that it reflected the best of what the Irish people stand for. However, there is no evidence to support the claim that the government approved another €150 million for pet welfare in April. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, responsible for finding accommodation for Ukrainians, stated that they have no knowledge of where the claim originated.
The government has not recently signed off on €150 million for Ukraine accommodation or related costs, according to the department. They ceased paying for pet-friendly accommodation in November 2022 and phased out those costs for individuals already in Ireland. The department spent around €500 million in 2022 on commercial accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, which increased to €1.5 billion in 2023. The funds allocated for pet welfare have already been used for necessary measures to ensure compliance with animal health requirements for pets arriving from Ukraine.
Overall, the claims circulating on social media regarding the funding allocation for Ukrainian pet welfare by the Irish government are fake. The fake news story featuring a fabricated headline from RTÉ News has been debunked, and there is no evidence to support the claim. While Ireland did allocate funds for pet-related expenses at the start of the conflict, this funding has since ceased. The government has not approved another €150 million allocation for pet welfare, as claimed in the fake news story circulating online.
