This included dogs, cats, horses, pigs, buzzards, a Harris hawk, a pigeon and a variety of owls in February 2023. She also admitted offences connected to the microchipping of dogs.
Convicting the accused under section 12(1) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act and the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015, Judge Brian O’Shea imposed two prison sentences of four months, to run consecutively, disqualified the woman from owning all animals for 20 years, and fined her €1,500.
The court heard evidence from Ann Quinn, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM), who described first visiting Deise Animal Aanctuary along with a DAFM colleague, Veterinary Inspector Catherine O’Brien, and ISPCA Senior Inspector Alice Lacey on 23rd February 2023. She said that serious and significant ongoing animal welfare problems were observed in all areas of the holding. And there was debris, rubbish, building materials and hazards posing a significant risk to the health and welfare of the animals on site.
The following day, an Animal Health and Welfare Notice was served on the woman by DAFM officials requiring that no more animals were to be taken in, that existing animals be provided with appropriate vet treatment, housing, and care, and that records be made available to officials.
During another visit by DAFM and ISPCA personnel on 28th February 2023, it was determined that the welfare situation was critical and a total of 32 animals were surrendered to the ISPCA. In evidence, Senior Inspector Lacey told the court how these animals included a Harris hawk with a brass ring embedded in the skin of its leg, a number of buzzards with long-standing injuries, and a pigeon with an open fracture to its wing, along with puppies with coats contaminated with faecal matter and with heavy worm burdens, cats with extensive matting, and a variety of other animals, both wild and domestic.
Veterinary examinations of the animals removed revealed a variety of health issues and six were euthanised on humane grounds. These included the pigeon with its bone exposed and five buzzards with fractures that had not received appropriate treatment with the result that there was now no possibility of rehabilitation, and they could not be returned to the wild.
After further inspections conducted in March and April 2023 showed repeated failures to comply with the written notice, a search warrant was obtained and, on 12th May, a further 17 animals were removed. These included pigs with severe skin conditions, 11 dogs and two fox cubs.
Throughout these visits repeated instructions were given to improve the accommodation for a fox named Shadow who had been confined in a small barren pen for six years, since he was a cub. When the premises was inspected again on 30th June 2023, it was found that no improvements had been made and the pen was now completely overgrown with nettles. The fox was seized and place in a specialist wildlife facility.
Ms Lacey further told the court that an inspection conducted the previous week found that new animals had been admitted, in contravention of the notice and that the animals’ living conditions were still sub-standard. One dog had been euthanised by a vet since that visit.
Having heard the evidence, Judge O’Shea described the woman’s sanctuary as a “house of horrors”. He said that there was “obvious neglect with veterinary level issues left untreated”, and that the offending was at the upper end of the scale in terms of gravity. He described it as “shameful” and “egregious” and said it was “a breach of trust”. He noted the aggravating factors of the scale of the suffering and the fact that she was still in breach of an Animal Health and Welfare notice”.
Senior Inspector Alice Lacey said: “A sanctuary, in its most basic meaning, is meant to be a refuge – a safe-haven from persecution or danger. The majority of animals entering this sanctuary would have most likely come from situations in the past where their needs were not being met – where they were ill-treated, neglected and in some cases, injured. To then see some of those very animals subjected to further ill-treatment, a lack of urgent veterinary care and a complete disregard for their physical & mental health & wellbeing, is an extreme injustice both for the animals involved in this case and for animal welfare as a whole. It was a complete breach of the trust that they placed in the person responsible for ensuring their welfare”.
An appeal against the severity of the sentence was lodged after the hearing.
ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors continue to work tirelessly to remove animals from appalling situations just like this one. Be a Christmas miracle for animals in need by making a life-saving donation to support our work, helping keep our many rescued animals fed, warm and comfortable this winter. Visit: https://ispca.ie/donations/
Please continue to report any animal welfare concerns to the ISPCA’s National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 0818 515 515, report online at: https://ispca.ie/report-cruelty/ or email [email protected].
