Dogs are NOT permitted inside polling stations today, as the country heads to the ballot boxes for Northern Ireland's council elections.
The Electoral Office has confirmed that assistance dogs are allowed in with their owners, and there is no restriction on leaving pet dogs outside while votes are cast.
But a dog welfare group has warned against tying dogs up outside polling stations, and is urging owners to leave their pets at home to avoid the risk of them being stolen as a 'lucrative commodity' for criminals.
