An online petition surrounding the practices of a licensed breeding establishment based in County Fermanagh has garnered more than 2,700 signatures.

The petition launched on September 16, gained hundreds of signatures and is calling to “outlaw Hamilton’s puppy farm”.

The petition is addressed to the Northern Ireland Executive and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

The petition was launched following a wide-ranging investigation by this newspaper, which revealed how some breeders in England are exploiting "legal loopholes" by registering their operations in Fermanagh.

In a post on change.org, the person who started the petition, known as ‘Miss K’, stated: “It is time we prioritised the lives of these animals and fought against establishments such as Hamilton's puppy farm.”

The petition urges Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to “reconsider their stance”. 

The Council is the license provider for a number of dog breeding establishments including three based at the Clabby Road, the UK Dog Breeding Academy, Douglas Hall Kennels and Kelly’s Kennels.

The petition can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2u6veput