Animal rescue charities are calling for stricter regulations on the ownership of exotic animals in Ireland after a zebra was photographed inside a Co Clare pub. The image of the zebra and a pony in the pub has been described as “utterly disgusting” by some individuals. While there are no specific laws protecting zebras in Ireland, animal welfare organizations are pushing for the protection of all exotic species in the country.

The Clare Dog Warden explained that there are no additional legal requirements for exotic animals beyond paperwork and licensing upon import. He noted that bringing exotic animals into the country requires a lot of paperwork, but once they are in Ireland, there are no specific regulations in place. Animal welfare concerns are the only way for authorities to intervene if an animal is being kept in poor conditions.

Clare Animal Welfare also condemned the incident involving the zebra and pony in the pub, calling it “cruelty.” The charity shared a photo of a child approaching the zebra on the streets of Ennistymon and highlighted the need for proper legislation to address the ownership and treatment of exotic animals in Ireland. Animal rescue organizations and concerned individuals are urging for stricter rules to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.