Kildare court: Teen gets ten-year ban from keeping animals
SENTENCE: Six month prison term imposed on young woman (19)
A jail sentence was imposed on a young woman who kept a rottweiler dog in such a condition that it was like a 'skeleton', when she appeared before last week’s sitting of Naas District Court.
Katie Doherty (19) with an address at Villa Maria, Station Road, Kildare Town, was charged with endangering an animal at that address on February 18 last.
The court heard that gardai were notified by a local animal welfare charity about a report of the dog being ill-treated.
Garda sergeant Brian Jacob said the dog was 'severely malnourished' and was covered in urine and faeces.
A decision had to be made whether or not to have the dog put down, such was his poor condition but Sgt Jacob said the dog has now been nursed back to full health.
The dog was only young and believed to be about nine months old at the time.
Examining photos, Judge Desmond Zaidan said: "The poor thing, it looks as if it is blind.
"You can see his ribs," he added.
The condition of the dog had been brought to the attention of the local animal welfare charity after a neighbour saw the dog roaming the local field.
The dog was then seized when gardai accompanied the animal welfare charity to the location where the dog was kept.
There was still blood in the dog’s stool for a while afterwards, but he has made a full recovery.
"He is still very nervous of humans," Sgt Jacob said.
"It should be the other way around, humans should be nervous of a rottweiler," Judge Zaidan said.
"Why would anyone do that to an animal - an animal which she took under her wing?" Judge Zaidan said.
The defendant’s solicitor, Brian Larkin, said she was 'a very young girl' and had no experience of caring for such an animal.
"She suffers from her own problems, including anorexia," Mr Larkin said: "which perhaps gave rise to her taking her eye off the ball."
The injuries to the dog’s eyes could have been caused by a 'nip from a fox or other animals' as he had been roaming nearby fields, Mr Larkin said.
The defendant never had any difficulties with the law before this, her solicitor said.
The dog was given to her by a friend, Mr Larkin added.
"It is a blessing that somebody spotted the dog," Judge Zaidan said.
Mr Larkin said the defendant had €1,500 before the court, which she and her family had gone to great lengths to gather.
"That money would have fed the rottweiler for the rest of his life," Judge Zaidan said.
He said the case was an 'appalling' one: "The dog would have died. He was a skeleton. That was what was going to happen."
The judge said that people should be aware of their responsibilities as domestic animals are 100 per cent dependent on their owners.
A six-months prison sentence was imposed on the defendant.
She was also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
Recognisance was fixed at €500, if the defendant wishes to appeal the sentence.