When asked what excuse did she have for her behaviour, her solicitor replied: “Very little.”
A Kildare woman has been disqualified from keeping all animals for life after admitting to two offences under sections 12 and 13 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act (AHWA) 2013 at Naas District Court.
In addition, Judge Desmond Zaidan fined Andrina Bracken of 4 Standhouse Crescent, Newbridge, Kildare a total of €4,000 and instructed that she contribute €500 to ISPCA costs.
The court heard how on 9 July, 2019, an ISPCA inspector called to the home of Bracken and saw a black and white female Collie dog, now named Daisy, that was severely underweight and with a dirty, matted coat.
The dog was seized by the ISPCA and taken for a veterinary examination, where it was revealed the dog weighed just 11.3kg.
Over the course of six weeks through a nutritious diet, Daisy’s weight increased to 16.35kg.
When asked by Judge Zaidan what excuse did Bracken have for this behaviour, her solicitor Tim Kennelly replied: “Very little.”
In passing sentence, Judge Zaidan said: “Pets need to be looked after, they can’t look after themselves”.
The ISPCA welcomed the ruling, saying that while it won’t undo the suffering of the dog, it’s an important message to the owners of pets.
“Thankfully this case had a happy ending with Daisy recovering fully and being re-homed with a loving family,” Chief Inspector Conor Dowling said.
“While today’s outcome cannot undo any suffering that she endured, it will hopefully send out a message as to the potential consequences if pet owners fail to adequately care for their animals.”
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