4-star hotel in Wexford responds to Animal Cruelty claims on their pet farm

A hotel in Wexford has came in for some online scrutiny in recent days….

That’s after a campaign, led by Nara Campaigns on Instagram, claimed that the Amber Springs Hotel in Gorey was committing crimes of animal cruelty and called for their animal farm to be shut down.

As per their website, the National Animal Rights Association was in July 2007 and it is a voluntary, vegan, consistently anti-oppression, non-hierarchical animal rights group.

Along with releasing three pictures of different animals on their social media channel with the caption ‘exposed’ and with the Amber Springs logo, Nara Campaigns also released a statement.

“Following complaints from members of the public, we visited Amber Springs Hotel (located in Gorey, Co. Wexford) to see things for ourselves.
We found goats with overgrown hooves, and one with a mange-like skin condition, a pony in a worryingly small enclosure, a miserable solitary macaw, as well as sheep, a rabbit and a duck. All in very poor enclosures, no enrichment, inadequate bedding, and all in close proximity to a playground and loud music.
What we also found troubling is that anyone can walk in and access this ‘petting farm’ – the animals are not supervised. We spoke with management, only to be fobbed off. So we reported them to the Dept. of Agriculture Animal Welfare Unit, NPWS, ISPCA and Enniscorthy Garda Station. Following our reports, they were inspected, and were told to rehome the lame goat with the skin condition, but sadly all the other animals remain there.”

In response to the damning claims, a spokesperson for the Amber Springs Hotel and their pet farm released a statement, noting that “they take the welfare of their animals very seriously” and that they welcome any Government body “to review their standards of care.”

Releasing it via their social media channels, the statement from the hotel reads:

“The Amber Springs takes the welfare of its animals very seriously. The pet farm has been running for over 15 years, we are inspected annually and have unannounced inspection visits across the year.
We have never been asked to remove any animal, nor has there been any concern with the welfare of our animals.
In the most recent report by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht “Amber Springs Hotel & Health Spa is a luxury hotel complex which has a well laid out childrens farm area that is well maintained and very clean. High quality commercial diets are provided to all animals on site The pet farm area have been recently renovated and is maintained to a very high standard.”
Jack the goat, is 15 years of age, a happy goat who has enjoyed an active life, enriched by visits from the Amber Springs guests. He suffers from arthritis and is now living life out on the hotel farm with Spirit the pony.
We have a number of key staff members who monitor the Amber Park and the Amber Pet Farm – the animals within the farm are a collection of pocket pets rabbits, (Matilda & Coco), ducks (Butch & Donald) guinea pigs, some domestic animals, 2 sheep, (Nibble & Dibble) and chickens and a macaw called Luna.
We welcome any official governing body to visit and review our standards of animal care, animal policy and our pet farm.
We will not permit the untruths that have been circulated across social media, any harassment of our staff or guests or any on site trespassing.
Unfounded complaints to both the ISPCA and the Department of Agriculture create unnecessary and unwarranted concern, both bodies have inspected our pet farm and animals within the last 3 months (ISPCA twice) as being perfectly cared for within all animal welfare guidelines,” the hotel states.