Veterinary Service

Kilkenny County Councils Veterinary Service consists of 2 fulltime veterinarians supported by a number of part time temporary veterinary inspectors. It is mainly involved in the area of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety with involvement in regulation of Dog Breeding Establishments, Control of Dogs, Control of Horses and on other issues where veterinary expertise is required.

Veterinary Public Health (VPH) is defined as 'contributions to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of humans through an understanding and application of veterinary science'. In order to integrate veterinary public health into the goals of public health, it is essential to improve collaboration between human and veterinary medical science, environmental science and other related fields - in accordance with the 'One Health' principles.

Interactions among people, animals, and the environment continue to change. The expansion of human and animal populations, changes in climate and land use, and increased international travel and trade provide opportunities for disease spread. Approximately 75% of recently emerging infectious diseases affecting humans are diseases of animal origin; approximately 60% of all human pathogens are zoonotic, meaning they are spread between people and animals. VPH is primarily concerned with zoonotic diseases, and plays a pivotal role in developing an integrated 'farm to table' approach to food safety. The National Zoonoses Committee of Ireland has a number of publications relating to zoonoses. For further information refer to https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/zoonotic