Dogs Trust have claimed the new puppy wing at their flagship Rehoming Centre in Dublin will help save the lives of more than 500 additional puppies every year.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and The Marine, Simon Coveney, unveiled the extension to the centre on the Ashbourne Road in Finglas, which is expected to cost €400,000 annually to run – and creates seven new jobs, including specialist puppy canine carers and veterinary staff.

At the official opening, the charity took the opporunity to issued another warning about puppy farms in Ireland.

“Whilst there has been a decrease in levels of destruction in Irish pounds and significant improvements in animal welfare legislation and enforcement, unscrupulous puppy farming remains an unacceptable reality today, there is much to be done in improving welfare standards and the new puppy wing is a huge step forward,” said Mark Beazley, executive director at Dogs Trust.