Lobby group Anvil (Animals Need a Voice in Legislation) is to submit a petition of over 900 names to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern calling on the government to allocate the rights of domesticated animals to a government department.

According to spokeswoman Miriam Anderson, the department of agriculture has statutory responsibility only for farm animals. Anderson said it is important that domesticated animals are protected from cruelty by allocating a government department to look after their welfare.