Kildare woman receives €2,000 fine for 'horrendous' treatment of labrador

A woman in her 60s was fined €2,000 for such reckless neglect of a dog that it had to be put down as a kindness.

Athy District Court heard evidence from ISPCA inspector Fiona Conlon that she attended the property of Theresa Donovan, Main Street, Ballitore on 21 June 2022.

“The dog was emaciated and paraplegic, I was looking at a dying dog. It’s coat was encrusted in faecal matter and urine, and there was also a maggot infestation in around its scrotal area,” she added.

“The dog was left to die in the back garden, so we had to do what’s best, and the vet let the dog go to sleep,” she said.

The court then learned that Ms Donovan was not in attendance, prompting Judge Desmond Zaidan to say: “If she was here I’d send her to jail, it’s that serious.

“How long was that dog left in that condition? Probably weeks,” he conjectured.

“It is horrendous that an old dog would be left in a rubbish tip of a garden,” agreed Ms Conlon.

“This dog has undergone unnecessary suffering,” said the judge, quoting from the vet’s report.

“Under the (Animal Welfare) Act I can fine up to €5,000 on each count, and jail her for six months,” the judge noted.

“After the last day in court (when she was initially banned from further ownership), she went and got another dog and doesn’t seem to have learned her lesson,” he said.

“There are other family members in the house and this is an unfortunate loophole where they say it was their dog,” said Ms Conlon.

“I suggest a banning for the actual address, “ she added, and the judge heartily agreed.

“Under Section 58, I’m ordering a life ban on all animals – domestic or otherwise. If she was here I’d be imposing a custodial sentence,” he added.

In mitigation, solicitor Jackie McManus told the court: “She has huge mental health issues and she is in a very, very bad situation.”

"It is a credit to the ISPCA inspector,” the judge noted, before fining Ms Donovan €1,000 on each of two sample charges and ordered her to pay €331 in costs.