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Warning: Readers may find some of the images in this article distressing.
A CARLOW COUPLE have been convicted of 60 offences under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, including causing or permitting animal cruelty.
Jim Kavanagh and Jenny Kavanagh, of Raheenleigh, Myshall, Co Carlow, had pleaded guilty in October 2018 to 30 charges each, having initially faced a total of 252 charges.
The remaining charges faced by Jim Kavanagh were taken into consideration. He was sentenced to three years in jail and banned from keeping dogs or horses for life.
Images and videos of the animals and the poor conditions they were kept in were shown in court. Dead animals were scattered around the property, some of which were used to feed the dogs.
“Words fail me to describe what those pictures depict. It is extraordinary to find someone of farming stock guilty of such an appalling crime best illustrated by the video footage we sat through this morning and photographs presented to the court,” Judge James McCourt said.
McCourt also ordered James Kavanagh to pay costs of €35,000 to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA). Jenny Kavanagh was sentenced to a 12-month custodial sentence, fully suspended, and banned from keeping any dogs for 15 years.
The case was initiated after ISPCA animal welfare inspectors and members of An Garda Síochána carried out a joint search of the premises on 14 April 2015.
Carlow County Council and the Department of Agriculture were called in and the local authority served the breeder with the first-ever closure notice under the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010.
Largest-ever rescue
The ISPCA rescued 340 dogs and 11 horses from the premises over the subsequent nine days with the assistance of its affiliated member organisations and other rescue organisations. The scale of the rescue is the largest the ISPCA had ever carried out.
The dogs removed included Cocker Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Bichons, Terriers, Retrievers, Chihuahuas, Pugs, Labradors, Beagles, Pomeranians, Rottweilers, Salukis, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Lurchers and many others.
Some of the puppies were only a few days old and over 20 female dogs were nursing or heavily pregnant.
The ISPCA said the dogs were suffering from untreated injuries, chronic skin, eye and teeth problems, and many had infected paws from living in urine sodden straw. Many of dogs had heavily matted fur which needed to be completely clipped.
Most of the animals were transported to the ISPCA National Animal Centre in Longford, some were brought to the ISPCA Equine Rescue Centre in Cork, and others were transferred to welfare groups across the country who offered their assistance.
‘Harrowing’
Chief Inspector Conor Dowling said the ISPCA “discovered a number of dead animals scattered around the property, some of which were used to feed the dogs”, adding: “It was harrowing.”
The living conditions these animals had to endure can only be described as squalid. Many of the animals did not have access to water or suitable food. The horror and sheer size of the rescue was extremely challenging for our inspectors, animal carers and volunteers.
Dowling thanked gardaí, Dogs Trust and the other organisations involved in the rescue.
He also said the ISPCA is “also indebted to the public who offered their support” after the orgasnoptn appealed for donations to help look after the animals.
The direct costs, including veterinary treatment, exceeded €60,000. Most of the animals required some form of veterinary treatment, and then had to be vaccinated, microchipped, administered with treatments for parasites such as fleas and worms, and neutered/spayed before being responsibly rehomed.
More information on the ISPCA’s work can be read here.
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At last, a sentence for animal cruelty that will actually hurt . Fair play to all those involved in bringing this to the courts
@Conor Flood: should have been 35 years in prison and 3000 euro fine
@Conor Flood:
In 2001 at the height of the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK and NI some sheep were brought from Scotland to Myshall Co Carlow it was aledged at the time to infect the flock in an attempt to claim the substantial compensation if the flock was condemned.
@Conor Flood: Why no custodial sentence?
There is no need to buy any dog in this day and age, I’d love a particular breed of dog but I can’t justify supporting this industry when there are plenty of unwanted dogs and puppies who’d make great pets.
@Motherofthree: well said.. Yours should be comment of the day .. Again well said
@Motherofthree: I love bichon friese. Have had 4 and all came from rescues. Every breed nowadays has a rescue sadly
@Motherofthree: we got our dog from dogs in distress.a wonderful organization.
@Motherofthree: My problem is if I went into a rescue centre I’d want to take them all home.
@Marcus Eugene: All you need do is rescue one.
@Motherofthree:
I have two little white fluffy designer dogs who are my world. Nosey is a “Malshi” and loves people and totally adores children. Unfortunately the adults and children that owned her left her to live in the garden, tied to a rope with no shelter.
Parker is just adorable – she’s a Shichon – she was bred, starved and thrown out of a moving car not long after having pups at the tender age of 10 months….owners obviously wanted the €500 they probably paid for her back so got a litter of pups out of her.
I’d like to add that as far as I’m concerned I adopted two mutts who nobody wanted or loved – thier loss is my gain. Designer breeds…..I’m surprised you can’t hear my eye’s rolling to the back of my head.
@Motherofthree: not to mention that that whole industry is messed up, what we did to some of those “breeds” and breeder garbage still refusing to inject fresh, healthy genes in to those literally inbred “purebreds”. intentionally leaving them susceptible to cancer, disease, messed up breathing or bone structures ETC, just so they can keep a certain look…
Sc#m of the Earth.
Absolutely heartbreaking, at least they got a half decent sentence
How could anyone hurt innocent animals like that. I hope the same is done to him in prison.
@Conor Noonan: money. This is a registered breeder who is selling these puppies.
That’s how they could do it.
@Conor Noonan: Oi luv me dogs sure look at Cecil n he hoppin round
@Quentin Moriarty: on de bad leg
A registered breeder?
This is about money. This is where puppies bought online are coming from.
I don’t know how to stop this. I don’t have the answers. But can you ever be sure that your puppy didn’t come from a situation like this?
@Abbie Cranky: people should stop buying from breeders. Simple as that.
@Abbie Cranky: Two things, first off always try and Adopt, don’t shop, if for some reason you need a specific breed visit the pups in their home, meet the mother dog, ask about the father see the dogs in their natural environment, pick your pup from the litter after interacting with the pups and get proof of chipping and vaccines
@Abbie Cranky: You stop it by not paying for your pet. Not rocket science. Every rescue centre in the country is pleading with people to offer forever homes to the animals in their care. Anyone who pays for a dog or cat or anything is an idiot
@Abbie Cranky: Licensed by County Councils. Some facilities licensed for up to 200 breeding bitches. Pre arranged welfare visits as part of licence – no unannounced visits.
Licence required if 6 or more breeding bitches, based on current number of licences in the country it equates to a conservative estimate of 10% more than annual demand for dogs in the country. That doesn’t include dogs acquired from countless other ways… rescues, small scale breeders etc..
Interesting question to ask your local TD – especially around the midlands
@Pauline Gallagher: You know you have to pay a rescue if you adopt, they need to recover their costs.
Why does she get suspended sentence …..this always happens when couple get sentenced also they have children I think social services should be taking a close look
Glad he got jail time but will officials from county council who inspected horrendous facility months before rescue and approved it be held to account???
Evil. 3 years not enough. Deserved a lot more, for the horrific crimes to the animals. My heart goes out to the poor people who had to deal with the consequences.
People like him should be taken out twice a day and given the mother and father of a beating.
@BAAB: 100% no mercy he should lose every bit of dignity he has and he should be treated like an animal
@Darren Farrell: Wasn’t that why he was convicted in the first place?
@BAAB: and starved like that poor horse. Bread and water and a cold cell with no bed.
@Darren Farrell: no animals should be treated properly maybe just treat him the way he treated his animals
I’m the proud owner of 2 lurchers,
When I got the first I wouldn’t have gone for thus type of dog but I can honestly say they are lovely dogs.
The two came from a rescue kennel and both have scares from their life’s before they were rescued, but I wouldn’t change them for the world.
There is no need for anyone to buy from breeders when so many dogs are in rescue centres.
@Barry Somers: I have rescue lurcher’s and I foster them too. Most amazing pets sadly overlooked by many people. I also have two retired greyhounds. They are fabulous family pets who love nothing better than to sleep on the couch despite what they are initially bred for running around race tracks. Many lurcher’s and greyhounds looking for homes in rescues around Ireland. You won’t regret adopting one or two..
@Jill Elliott: totally agree, lurchers,greyhounds and whippets are the best behaved dogs ever and couch potatoes. They would make excellent therapy dogs too, wouldn’t even need training
@Barry Somers: well done for adopting rescue dogs esp lurchers. They truly are the best dogs, they are adored in Italy ,hope one day we Irish see how fabulous they are and stop associating them with the sick people who abuse them
@marianne ryan: they are seriously lazy alright.
In the rescue kennel I remember asking what are they like as pets, the chap responded.
“well, they are lazy as hell, if you can’t look after one of these you can’t look after any dog”.
He was right, once they get a decent walk or a 40min run off the leads they’ll basically sleep the other 23hours
The world would be a better place without them. 3 years too lenient. Why do Judges let people get away with this. This issue will not get better when our justice system doesn’t have the courage to do what is right and just. It is not that difficult.
@Irish_Bond: He didn’t let them get away with it, he let the woman away with it. #judicialbias #privilege
@Irish_Bond: In fairness, he is the first Irish judge to ever hand down a proper custodial sentence for animal abuse. Yep, we would have all loved to have seen him getting longer but 3 years is so much better than a slap on the wrist and a small fine or community service which is usually the norm
@Alan Beirne: if you think 3 years is enough you are obviously not an animal person. The wife should also have been locked up. There is no excuse for treating animals like that.
And the good old county council did what they do best; ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Overpaid to have contempt for the public for a living.
@Pauline Gallagher: they issued him with a license, heads should roll there too
That odious bully and his equally unpleasant wife tried, unsuccessfully, to threaten me with legal ‘consequences’ about ten years ago when I reported on the shenanigans in my website http://www.IrishDogs.ie.
I totally ignored their threats and published anyway.
Today, my actions are vindicated and their reign of terror on defenceless animals has FINALLY been seen by courts with a , paltry, three year custodial sentence.
Oh well … better these ‘puppy farmers’ be sent a message of some little sort rather than the usual ‘slap on the hand’ awarded by some old fuddle-duddy judge.
Good riddance to the the likes of Kavanagh and his ilk of puppy-farmers.
This had got to stop!
A department of Animal Welfare and Animal Welfare Ombudsman is necessary and critical in Ireland and every country.
The people behind ‘Puppy Farming’ should not only be fined considerably but also jailed. If you are one of those people who turn a blind eye, please open them and report animal abuses.
The abuses, on file and antidotal are horrendous. If we can’t treat animals with respect and dignity, how does this maltreatment define how we treat each other?
The ISPCA do their best, but they need more governmental and community support.
I have been rescuing, rehabilitating, reuniting and caring for neglected animals for years and it’s not an easy task. It is very expensive. There is very little support in Ireland.
From experience, it is better in Northern Ireland and the UK. They have a different, more professional, sensitive and humanitarian approach to catering for animal welfare needs.
Unless you have money to spare, there are no animal welfare facilities in Ireland where you can bring a sick or injured pet/stray for care or rehabilitation to safety, unless it is the pound where ‘death row’ is the ultimate outcome.
Every cat, dog and other kinds of pets, what ever they are should be tagged.
When it came to horses and ponies, they need the attention of ferneries and vets, both are very expensive.
Our attitudes and behaviour need to change, but this will only happen with education, good manners, behaviour, respect and dedicated government intervention.
Don’t undertake what you cannot afford.
Enjoy your time in jail. Evil evil man. Yet still breeding licenses are handed out this is not the end of this horrible industry. Adopt dont Shop
Absolute lowlifes.
I hope he gets done doggie style 10 times a day
So angry reading the article and seeing some of those pictures!!! Vile human beings.. If you treat animal’s that kind of way its safe to say your a soulless s$umbag who deserves a harsh punishment. Wish more people were banned from owning animals when they neglect or abuse
@Chonky Racoon: Please know the transformation of the animals was phenomenal. The Alsatian (black haired dog in the article) was like a different dog after a few months, and went to a wonderful home. As did all the others.
Sadly the council thought it ok to licence him 6 months prior to the discovery of this state of affairs… There are way too many puppy farms in this country and no one seems interested in animal welfare. As long as profit is put before welfare he will not be the last. Cavan CoCo take note… This has to stop!
Well done to all the great people involved in this horrible case, must be very hard for these animal lovers to have witnessed what they did. Besides that b****** being jailed, his wife should have been sent to prison too and they should have been made pay the 60 grand for the care the animals needed. I bet he won’t spend 3 years in prison.
@Mary D:
He will get 25% off automatically, you would have to almost m**der someone to be refused your 25% off
Justice has been done in this case, and has served to expose the horror of puppy farming in general, but Ireland is awash with animal cruelty, some of it illegal and some permitted by law, such as fox hunting and hare coursing.
Domestic dogs have protection in law, but the wild dogs of the countryside, our beautiful native red foxes, can be hounded until their lungs give out and exhaustion delivers them to the packs. “Respectable” humans look on as the skin is ripped from the bones of these unprotected creatures. Foxes that escape underground are dug out with the of half starved terriers, with both terriers and foxes getting horribly mauled in the process.
A few weeks ago, RTE reported from the National Hare Coursing “festival” in Clonmel where gamblers roared their approval as captive wild animals ran in terror from hyped-up dogs…all legal and above board because our laws allow hares to be snatched by gangs who then set them up as live bait in this blood sport. Video footage uploaded to Facebook and Youtube shows hares at Irish coursing events being mauled, forcibly struck, battered and tossed about like broken dolls.
And many greyhounds whose running days have ended are abandoned or killed, usually with the whack of a shovel or a bullet in the brain. Shallow graves containing their sad remains have been unearthed all over Ireland. Or unwanted Irish greyhounds may find themselves, after export, on the Chinese meat market, being boiled or roasted alive for human consumption.
We need to rigorously enforce our existing animal welfare laws and update them to include a complete ban on hare coursing, fox hunting and the export of greyhounds to jurisdictions where animals have little or no protection.
stop posting comments walk the walk help the ispca or dogs trust with a €5 donation tonite more helpful
Ireland should implement this policy https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/california-pet-store-rescue-law.amp.html
Should have got longer sentence and so should his wife, bloody sick humans is what they are
@Anthony Murphy: definitely at the minimum 3 years per animal that he abused
@Anthony Murphy: I think you mean his wife should have got the same sentence, at least that would have been equality of consequences #courtsbias #judicialbias
Jesus I got fierce bad humour reading that… I am after getting some evil thoughts in my head….. What the animals went through and for how long God knows.. Its sickening… And the people who rescued them well I’d say it will take them a while if ever to get over it… Judges are usually lenient with these types of cases so to get 3 years shows what a complete and utter yoke ur man is and his wife the accomplice…
I have been trying to find place to rent in Dublin for the past 2 months but once I mention I have dog (10 years old Lab) there is always the same answer no pets.
For most of irish landlords having dog is like ebola virus. She is part of family I just can not give her away.
Who gave a licence for him to operate. Also who was checking on standards at the puppy farm. Was this cruelty known for sometime before there was intervention.
And people still go and buy dogs from puppy farms, they’re the cause of this. It’s disgusting and disgraceful. Hope he rots in there
A licence to breed was issued by Carl ow County Council , six months prior to the raid the ISPCA inspected the premises.Go figure that one out.
This he’ll hold was known to the authorities ten years ago!
@Maura Rua: and many more still in the country operating…. FOI request to your local CoCo on how they regulate the licences they issue is a start point. People need to make a noise about this, the animals can’t speak for themselves.
Make yourself familiar with where these hell holes are in your locality, keep watching them. Any concerns, even anecdotal share with local ISPCA, Dog Warden and even HSE if appropriate. There are people in authority who want to close these places down but they need our help.
I hope Karma catches up
With this $cumbag and he suffers a horrific and terrifying death!
Should be locked up and given the same treatment they gave those poor defenseless babies
Unfortunately, this is the kind of place where your designer breeds come from. The sooner people realise this the better. There’s a big market for puppy farms, and if there’s a demand for particular breeds, then the puppy farms will continue. Rescuing or fostering dogs is the best way.
Why was this ‘creature’ allowed to walk from court with his head covered…..his face should be shown so that when he gets out the entire country can recognise him and be sure that he never ever can be allowed to be even near animals again….hopefully he meets some animal lovers in jail!
Excuse me but why should we donate to help the poor animals while the c××t is behind bars for 2 years and doesnt get the real punishment. He should be paying for all his cruelty, put him in debt i dont care but he should be paying for them poor animals’ vet bills… sickens me. Id donate but about time he looked after what he has done!
@Oisin Curry: his wife gets off scot-free, she should be made picking up horse sh+te at a local sanctuary!
$cum utter $cum. I hope he rots in hell.
What a Bsatard!
Hard to believe , that was his son the 16 year old killed in the crash last night
@Cyril Hayes:,16 years of age driving a car with other teenagers in it at 5 am on a Sunday morning…. I don’t know…. The legal age to drive is 17 with someone with a full licence beside you…. With car crashes that have happened over the last few years here it could of been a calamity if he had of crashed into another car then you could have a lot more victims…
The dogs should be more careful where they go and who they trust. If they didn’t look so cute then maybe they wouldn’t have ended up in this situation. It’s their own fault.
Good enough for that horrible excuse of a “human”. Nice hefty fine for him as well. At last a sentence that is fitting!
Dirt!
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