Robin Newton steps down from Stormont tomorrow knowing he will not be back, leaving his passion for animals and their protection in the hands of another politician.
After months of working on new legislation for Northern Ireland in a bid to stamp out illegal puppy farming, his Private Member’s Bill will not reach first reading before the March 25 deadline and the collapse of government.
But Belfast Live can reveal his swansong includes securing a new name to take his bill forward.
Read more: Sunny has been waiting for 250 days for a loving home
Keith Buchanan, from Mid Ulster, has accepted the role and if he gets into power in the next election he has agreed to push for Lucy’s Law NI.
Keith Buchanan said: "I want to pay tribute to Robin Newton for all his work in drafting and consulting on this legislation.
"His commitment to animal welfare is matched by few others in the Assembly, but unfortunately the legislative programme within the Assembly has been exceptionally crowded due to the shortened timescale during this mandate and the necessary focus on Covid-19.
"There is widespread support for this bill from both animal welfare charities, several local Councils and the wider public in Northern Ireland.
"Any legitimate breeder who is treating their animals with care and compassion has nothing to fear from this legislation. It is aimed at those unscrupulous puppy farmers who not only mistreat animals but mislead the public by selling them animals which are often suffering from considerable health issues or other complications.
"I want to see this Bill come before the Assembly at the earliest opportunity after the election. We have already seen this law introduced in other parts of the United Kingdom so we can see the effect It has in operation.
"I want to give the Assembly a real opportunity to take a stand against animal cruelty, give protection to the animals involved and reassurance to anyone who is buying a much-wanted family pet."
Today Mr Newton leaves Belfast Live readers with his thoughts on the work he dedicated much of his time to.
The cruel, exploitative and illegal puppy trade is a continuing blight on our society.
The fact that it can operate in the background has been to its benefit and has allowed the trade to become a multi-million-pound industry within Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
However after vet Marc Abraham campaigned for Lucy’s Law, these issues have been to the forefront of my mind, and the minds of many others.
After reading about Lucy’s Law in England and speaking to Marc Abraham, I was delighted to see the new regulations being passed in Scotland and Wales as well, and disappointed to be living in the only part of the UK to not be protecting these helpless animals.
Northern Ireland remained a backdoor for illegal and cruel puppy breeding. Passing Lucy’s Law through the Northern Ireland Assembly quickly became not only something I was passionate about, but an obvious and urgent necessity.
My Private Member’s Bill, Lucy’s Law for Northern Ireland, would have been the start of the journey towards clamping down on this activity once and for all. It would have covered not only third party sales of pups, but stricter regulations for breeders, stronger monitoring rights for Councils and transparency of information, a much needed aspect for anyone considering purchasing a new puppy.
To say I am disappointed that it will not be possible to debate and approve this legislation before the end of the current Assembly mandate is an understatement. To be told ‘we’ve run out of time’ is frankly not good enough.
Helpless dogs that are used relentlessly for breeding, and pups bred in the worst conditions imaginable, are in dire need of help right now, and to be told it’ll have to wait is heart-breaking and will most definitely have fatal consequences for numerous dogs.
My deselection from the Party, which consequently means I can no longer run in the election for the next mandate, is yet another blow to Lucy’s Law for Northern Ireland.
After what will now be years of hard work and research, which wasn’t always made easy by people against puppy breeding regulations, it is hard to accept I will not be able to see this through until the end.
However, there are brighter days ahead for these poorly treated animals.
Although I may not be able to pass the Private Member’s Bill myself, I can nominate another MLA to continue this fight. Talks are underway to make sure Lucy’s Law is pushed through within the next mandate.
As with every journey, there have been twists and turns in the road, but I feel confident that, with the support of the public, Lucy’s Law for Northern Ireland will become a reality.
Though my political journey with Lucy’s Law ends here, my personal determination to help these dogs and pups will remain unfaltered.
