Young Limerick artist wins national Dog Friendly Ireland design competition
Dogs Trust Ireland launched the initiative in May, inviting children of all ages from across the country to showcase their design skills, as well as a vision of what a more welcoming Ireland might look like for dogs and the people who love them.
12-year-old Aishling Hayes from Limerick has been crowned the winner of Dogs Trust Dog Friendly Ireland design competition.
Dogs Trust Ireland launched the initiative in May, inviting children of all ages from across the country to showcase their design skills, as well as a vision of what a more welcoming Ireland might look like for dogs and the people who love them.
Following an enthusiastic response from young artists nationwide, a shortlist of three designs were chosen for a public vote across the charity's social media channels and email newsletter.
After receiving thousands of votes, Aishling's design emerged as the winner and was unveiled by the nation's largest dog welfare charity on June 19, to celebrate the ninth annual Dog Friendly Ireland Day.
The adorable design featuring dogs of all shapes and sizes perfectly highlights that a dog-friendly Ireland should be accessible to all dogs, no matter their size or breed, once they are comfortable in public settings and in the care of responsible owners.
Aishling's design was transformed into a limited-edition collection of Dogs Trust t-shirts and tote bags, with all proceeds from the sales going directly to the charity's work rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming and advocating for dogs across Ireland.
As part of Dog Friendly Ireland Day, the initiative aimed to shine a light on the positive steps businesses, communities, and individuals can take to make life more inclusive for dogs.
Paulina Padlo, Communications Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, said: "We were blown away by the creativity, imagination and talent shown by all of the children who entered this year's competition. Choosing just three finalists was incredibly difficult, and we'd like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a design and vote for their favourite artwork.
"Aishling’s design stood out for the wonderful way it captured what Dog Friendly Ireland Day is all about. We're delighted to be able to bring her artwork to life on our merchandise collection and share it with our supporters,” Ms Padlo continued.
Since 2005, Dogs Trust Ireland has been working for a better future for dogs and the people who love them.
Today, the charity advocates for a better life for all dogs in Ireland and cares for over 1,200 dogs each year through its rehoming centre and three regional rehoming hubs, having rescued and rehomed over 24,000 dogs since its inception.
For more information about the Dog Friendly Ireland campaign and to shop the limited-edition collection, go to www.DogsTrust.ie/DFI