Linda Martin's Dublin dog rescue prepares strays for family life

Nationwide follows veterinary checks, training and one dog's introduction to her adoptive family at The Dublin Dog Hub.

Channel: RTÉ News ·

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Rehoming Rescue Dogs in Dublin | Nationwide

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0:15Martin explains why she built the rescue centre and shows construction photographs from the leased site.
1:00The centre works with Dublin City Council and has rehomed more than 460 dogs, Martin says.
3:00Volunteer vet Shane Nangle examines Sadie and explains the full physical checks given to arriving dogs.
4:14A simulated living room helps staff assess how dogs behave in a domestic setting.
5:12Staff explain social media's role in rehoming, and stray dog Lola meets her adoptive family.
8:42Martin urges prospective owners to adopt rescue dogs rather than buy from puppy farms.

Lola arrives as a stray; later, she meets the couple who will give her a home. Her introduction is one part of a Nationwide visit showing the work behind Linda Martin's rescue centre, The Dublin Dog Hub.

Ireland's public broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ News), follows the dogs through veterinary care, behavioural assessment and training. Martin says the centre, which works with Dublin City Council, has rehomed more than 460 dogs.

For the singer who won Eurovision for Ireland in 1992 with "Why Me?", entertainment and animal welfare serve different purposes. "I do showbiz to pay my bills, but animal welfare, well you don't make anything out of that," she says.

Martin shows photographs of the centre's construction on leased land and explains why she decided to build it: "I thought, okay, I'm preaching years, put my money where my mouth is, and I did."

The report makes the practical work visible. Volunteer vet Shane Nangle examines Sadie, explaining that each arriving dog receives a full physical examination. Staff use a simulated living room to assess how dogs behave in a home environment, while trainers work with them outdoors. Another staff member explains how social media helps connect dogs with prospective adopters before Lola meets her new family.

Singer-songwriter Johnny Logan visits too, praising Martin's commitment. But her closing message is directed at people considering a dog: she urges them to adopt from rescue organisations rather than buy from puppy farms. "Don't buy them, just come to people like us and you'll get a loyal companion."