The case related to a total of 43 animals removed from the defendant’s property on Friday 18th November 2016, following a complaint made to the ISPCA’s National Animal Cruelty Helpline.
The court heard evidence from ISPCA Chief Inspector Conor Dowling who described calling to the property the accused was renting near Avoca and seeing five underweight horses in a dirty yard and mucky arena.
In stables off the same yard, he found a wild boar in one filthy stable and a pig that was unable to stand in another. Neither of the animals had access to water or a clean lying area. In three other stables twelve dogs were discovered living in squalid conditions, with no bedding or water.
Inspector Dowling told how there was a horrendous smell from the stables and how he saw ripped up remains of dog food bags scattered around. The Inspector told the court that a German Shepherd housed in a group of five dogs was only days away from whelping and that she later produced nine puppies, some of which were deformed and none of which survived. Another dog was an aged Mastiff with chronic osteoarthritis and an old injury, rendering one of his legs useless. The court hear that dog was euthanised approximately a week later, on veterinary advice.
Chief Inspector Dowling described how he then proceeded up a metal stair to the door of a loft dwelling. He said that the stair and the roof of the building were covered in dog faeces and that he formed the opinion that excrement was being thrown out of Velux windows in the roof. When he knocked on the door of the dwelling, he heard more barking and shouting noises from inside, and decided to request assistance Garda assistance.
Gardai arrived at the scene and made contact with the accused. Chief Inspector Dowling described how, when the door of the dwelling was opened, dogs came “spilling” down the stairs. It was found that there were a further thirty-one dogs, including some giant breeds, living in appalling conditions in the small dwelling in what the Inspector described as, “a stressful and chaotic environment”.
Inspector Dowling said that there was faecal matter on every surface in the dwelling, and the stench of ammonia was so strong that it hurt his eyes and made it difficult for him to breathe. He described how there was a pool of urine in the hallway and a video was played for the court in which the accused tried to claim that the dogs had just urinated when the investigators had called at the door.
The court was also shown photographs of a selection of animals including a Cocker Spaniel that could not use its hind legs and was dragging itself through the soiled environment, and a Mastiff which had an injury to its toe so severe that some of the bone was protruding, and the dog was gnawing at the exposed bone. The Mastiff required surgery to amputate its toe.
It was agreed that most of the animals needed to be removed from the premises immediately, and Chief Inspector Dowling enlisted the help of Wicklow SPCA, Wicklow Dog Pound, the Irish Horse Welfare and Trust and Dogs Trust, in removing most of the animals to safety. A veterinary practitioner attended the scene and recommended that the pig that couldn’t stand, be euthanised to prevent further suffering.
Subsequent veterinary examinations of the animals removed revealed a catalogue of health issues including injuries, flea infestation, ear mites, worms, skin irritation, matted and soiled coats, ear infections, chronic arthritis, cherry eye, mud fever and rain scald.
Inspector Dowling said that, while the pig and two geriatric Mastiffs were euthanised, the majority of the animals made full recoveries.
On sentencing, Judge Patrick Quinn described the case as, “one of the most appalling cases brought before him”, and said that all the offending was at the upper end in terms of gravity. He questioned how it got this far, and how no one could notice what was going on, not just for the animals but for the defendant too. Judge Quinn commented that the accumulation of more and more animals in the space of three or four years would have contributed to the defendant being overwhelmed to the point that she couldn’t cope and became a welfare concern for the animals as well as a mental health issue for herself.
Judge Quinn handed down a suspended sentence of four and a half years for each count, to run concurrently, and banned the woman from owning animals for life; she was also ordered to pay €15,000 in costs, to be paid within twelve months as a condition of the bond.
ISPCA Chief Inspector Conor Dowling said: “This case has been ongoing for many years, and I am relieved that it has finally reached a successful conclusion with the animal owner held accountable before the courts. We are always mindful of working with vulnerable people, but our priority is for the welfare of the animals involved. This situation should never have been allowed to develop as it did, where animals were left to suffer. Anyone who chooses to keep animals has both a legal and moral responsibility to adequately care for them, and if you are unable to do so, you should seek help”.
ISPCA Animal Welfare Inspectors work tirelessly in challenging situations, just like this one, rescuing neglected and cruelly treated animals from horrendous conditions. If you can, please make a life-saving donation today to support our vital rescue and rehabilitation work here: https://ispca.ie/donations/.
The ISPCA urges the public to continue to report any suspicions of animal cruelty, neglect or abuse to its confidential National Animal Cruelty Helpline by calling 0818 515 515, reporting online here: https://ispca.ie/report-cruelty/ or by emailing [email protected]. Together, we can continue to protect Ireland’s most vulnerable animals and bringing those who harm them to justice.
