Inside Animal Welfare: Life as an ISPCA Inspector with Alice Lacey

About this episode

Alice Lacey discusses her experiences as an ISPCA Inspector and the challenges of animal welfare in Ireland.

In this episode of Off Duty, we sit down with Alice Lacey, Senior Animal Welfare Inspector with the ISPCA, to explore the realities of working on the front line of animal welfare in Ireland. Alice shares her journey from volunteering to becoming an inspector, and gives an honest insight into the emotional, challenging, and deeply rewarding nature of her work. From dealing with neglect cases and navigating difficult conversations with owners, to giving evidence in court and rescuing animals in distress, no two days are ever the same. We discuss: What animal welfare inspectors really do (and common misconceptions) The balance between education, enforcement, and empathy The emotional toll of the job and managing compassion fatigue Why most cases are neglect—not intentional cruelty The importance of microchipping, traceability, and responsible ownership Current welfare concerns including overbreeding, biosecurity, and feral cat populations Alice also shares powerful personal stories—from rescuing animals in heartbreaking situations to adopting her own dog through welfare work—and what keeps her motivated despite the challenges. This episode is a reminder that small actions—education…

People in this episode

Guest: Alice Lacey

Topics covered

• animal welfare
• ISPCA
• neglect cases
• compassion fatigue
• responsible ownership
• microchipping
• animal rescue

Keywords

• animal welfare
• ISPCA
• neglect
• compassion fatigue
• microchipping
• animal rescue
• responsible ownership
• overbreeding
• feral cats

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ISPCA

Places: Ireland