Some 100 groups which care for lost and stray dogs, cats and other animals have been given grants worth €1.2 million for their work during 2007.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan said that this year's disbursement would assist the greatest number of animal welfare organisations in any year since the department first made ex-gratia payments in 1995.
It brings the total amount of assistance provided to organisations since then to €7.192 million.
"The months after Christmas are sadly the busiest time for animal welfare organisations. Pets given at Christmas, from puppies to kittens or guinea pigs, grow up quickly, needing more food and attention or a trip to the vet.
"All of this can take time and money and the novelty of owning a pet can wear off for children."
The Minister also said that in addition to their other activities, the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and various county SPCAs are involved with the department and the Irish Farmers' Association in the operation of the early warning/intervention system for farm animal welfare cases.
Who got what: where the Government money is going
Animal In Need, Co Donegal €2,000
Animal Rescue Skibbereen, Co Cork €2,000
Animal Trust Fund, Co Sligo €2,000
ASH Animal Sanctuary, Wicklow €15,000
Avalon Greyhound Sanctuary, Woodford, Co Galway €2,000
Carlow SPCA €15,000
Cats Aid, Dublin €12,000
Cavan SPCA €15,000
Celtic Animal Life Line, Tipperary €3,000
Clare Animal Welfare, Ennis €12,000
Clare SPCA, Clonoghan €10,000
Clifden Animal Rescue, Co Galway €2,000
Clondalkin Animal Aid, Dublin €6,000
Collon Animal Sanctuary, Louth €15,000
Cork Cat Action Group €6,000
Cork SPCA €25,000
Cottage Rescue, Co Tipperary €2,000
Cry for Help Cattery, Co Westmeath €2,000
Dogs Alive, Westport, Co Mayo €2,000
Dog Rescue Ireland, Dublin €15,000
Dogs in Distress, Dunboyne, Co Meath €2,000
Dogs Aid, Dublin €6,000
Donegal Pet Rescue €15,000
Drogheda Animal Rescue, Co Louth €15,000
Dublin Animal Rescue Group €2,000
Dublin SPCA €80,000
Dungarvan SPCA €12,000
Enniscorthy SPCA €15,000
Florence O'Connor, Kerry €4,000
Friends of Animal Rescue Centre, Westmeath €15,000
Galway SPCA €25,000
Hillview Animal Sanctuary, Cork €10,000
Inistioge Puppy Rescue, Co Kilkenny €8,000
Irish All Pure Bred Rescue, Tipperary €3,000
Irish Horse Protection League, Wicklow €6,000
Irish Horse Welfare Trust, Wicklow €13,000
Irish Raptor Research Centre, Sligo €10,000
ISPCA, Longford €80,000
Joan's ARC, Glengevlin, Co Cavan €2000
Kerry SPCA €17,000
Kerry Greyhound Connection, Beaufort, Co Kerry €2,000
Kildare and West Wicklow SPCA €15,000
Kilkenny SPCA €8,000
Kilmeady Lodge Animal Sanctuary, Co Cork €2,000
Laois SPCA €12,000
Last Hope Animal Charity, Navan, Co Meath €2,000
Leitrim Animal Welfare Trust €25,000
Leitrim SPCA €15,000
Limerick Animal Welfare €15,000
Limerick SPCA €15,000
Longford SPCA €15,000
Louth SPCA €20,000
Mayo Animal Welfare, Westport €6,000
Mayo SPCA €10,000
Meath SPCA €20,000
Monaghan SPCA €25,000
New Ross SPCA, Co Wexford €12,000
North County Dublin SPCA €15,000
North West SPCA, Mayo €10,000
North Wexford SPCA, Gorey €10,000
Offaly Pound Rescue €2,000
Offaly SPCA €20,000.
PAWS Animal Rescue, Co Tipperary €25,000
Petwatch Co Ltd, Dublin €12,000
Roscommon SPCA €12,000
Roscrea SPCA €12,000
Sathya Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature, Sligo €10,000
Safe Haven, Co Offaly €2,000
Sligo Dog Warden Services €2,000
Sligo SPCA €20,000
St Francis Animal Sanctuary, Co Sligo €2,000
St Francis Dispensary for Sick/Injured Animals, Dublin
€5,000
The Athlone & West Midlands SPCA, Co Westmeath
€10,000
The Cats Protection Association of Ireland, Dublin
€20,000
The Daisy Fund, Kerry €6,000
The Donkey Sanctuary, Cork €50,000
The Equus Foundation, Co Kildare €2,000
The Inner City Cat Rescue Group, Dublin €3,000
The Irish Blue Cross, Dublin €80,000
The Sunset Appeal, Co Wexford €5,000
The Tiger Trust, Kerry €5,000
Tipperary Friends of Animals, Nenagh €15,000
Tipperary SPCA €12,000
Tralee Animal Welfare Group, Co Kerry €10,000
Uisneach Border Collie Rescue, Westmeath €10,000
Waterford SPCA €15,000
West Cork Animal Welfare Group €17,000
Westmeath SPCA €10,000
Westown Animal Shelter, Kildare €10,000
Wexford SPCA €20,000
Wexford Pet Helpers, Enniscorthy €2,000
Whiskers New Park Animal Sanctuary, Roscommon €12,000
Wicklow SPCA €25,000
Wildlife Rescue, Cork €2,000