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'A pitiful state': Man fined €800 after dog and puppies found underweight and infested with fleas

All of the dogs made full recoveries.

pjimage ISPCA ISPCA

A TIPPERARY MAN has been fined €800 and ordered to pay €1000 in costs over failing to safeguard the health and welfare of a Staffordshire bull terrier and her six puppies in October 2018.

The case arose after an ISPCA inspector visited the property of Desmond Renehan in response to a report made to the charity’s National Animal Cruelty Helpline.

ISPCA Inspector Alice Lacey found Minnie and her six puppies living in a shelter which was a “very small, dirty, smelly” concrete shed.

“Minnie was in extremely poor body condition with ribs and hip bones protruding. She also had a pressure sore on her hind left leg and seemed unsteady on her feet. Her puppies showed signs of a heavy worm burden due to extremely distended bellies,” according to the ISPCA. 

The dog and her puppies were initially seized and taken for veterinary assessment.

Upon assessment, Minnie weighed in at 20.7 kilograms, while the breed weight standard is 25-30 kilos.

She also had a heavy flea infestation and multiple abrasions on her dry skin. The puppies also had evidence of a heavy parasite burden and flea infestation.

tipperary-man-convicted-under-the-animal-health-and-welfare-act ISPCA ISPCA

tipperary-man-convicted-under-the-animal-health-and-welfare-act

tipperary-man-convicted-under-the-animal-health-and-welfare-act ISPCA ISPCA

Inspector Lacey said Minnie had no problem gaining weight after a few weeks in the care of the ISPCA.

“She was extremely malnourished and was in a pitiful state when she came into the care of the ISPCA. After a couple of weeks of care, she had no trouble gaining weight. In fact, she gained seven kilos in just four weeks.

On sentencing, Judge Elizabeth McGrath said she was not satisfied Renehan had taken enough responsibility for his dogs. 

“If you come before me again, I will be making a disqualification order. Those animals are your friends – look after them,” Judge McGrath said. 

Renehan was convicted of two offences in court yesterday under section 11 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous court sitting but the matter was adjourned by Judge McGrath pending the submission of veterinary reports on a further two dogs that Renehan had in his possession.

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22 Comments
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    Mute Eoin O'C
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    Nov 29th 2019, 11:36 AM

    Anybody found to have been abusing/neglecting animals should automatically be banned from having pets for a minimum of 10 years.

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    Mute jamesdecay
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    Nov 29th 2019, 11:43 AM

    @Eoin O’C: or never

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    Mute kevinhunt101
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    Nov 29th 2019, 11:43 AM

    @Eoin O’C: for life!! Do it once they’ll do it again. But what actually stops them getting a dog sure! Should be min 2 years in jail and 5,000-10,000 fine.

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    Mute Martin McFly
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    Nov 29th 2019, 11:55 AM

    @Eoin O’C: stupid comment. Banned for life, a prison sentence, a hefty fine., a thousand plus hours of unpaid work in an animal shelter, named and shamed. Then let back into society. This isn’t only for animals. People that treat people like crap too deserve the same. Society is gone too soft. Criminals let away Scot free. Make them sit in front of their victims. Make them suffer the same way. Make them learn, on top of the prison sentence and fine. Hit them every way possible before reintroducing them. If they don’t learn or refuse to then society no longer needs them. Donate them to medical science then. Everyone has a purpose, for some that’s it.

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    Mute Seamus Murphy
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    Nov 29th 2019, 5:02 PM

    @Eoin O’C: banned forever! Why would they ever be entitled to keep animals again? They’ve already made it clear how little they care, let there be no second chance!

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    Mute Nicky O'Donnell
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    Nov 29th 2019, 11:39 AM

    Indeed. Fines are certainly not enough of a deterrent for these people.

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    Mute Michael Keegan
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    Nov 29th 2019, 3:05 PM

    @Nicky O’Donnell: prison

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    Mute Logan Shepherd
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:14 PM

    Can never get my head around how these people are allowed to keep animals at all.

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    Mute Martina Quinn
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:23 PM

    Meagre fine, and off he trots to replace Minnie with another female dog to breed and sell the pups. He should have been banned for life from ever owning a living creature. I wouldn’t give him a box of rocks. Animals are so vulnerable in this country, with laws there to protect them that are seldom enforced it will always come down to tiny local rescues to pick up the sad pieces of these broken souls.

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    Mute Jaymes Moynihan
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    Nov 30th 2019, 7:37 AM

    @Martina Quinn: absolutely! Well said Martina! He should be thrown in a cage and left to starve until he fully appreciates the kiind of damage he’s done!

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    Mute Honeybee
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:02 PM

    Just tell me the animals will not be returned to him…. Those animals are your friends – look after them,” Judge McGrath said….What…..

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:24 PM

    @Honeybee: The judge thinks hes in a disney movie

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    Mute dearg doom
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:13 PM

    What is the point of fining them so little? I know someone’s who paid €800 for a dog. Not the same as those but they can easily cover that fine – it’s more a clap on the back than a slap on the wrist.

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    Mute cryptodon
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    Nov 29th 2019, 1:27 PM

    That’s a disgrace. That judge should be ashamed of herself.

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    Mute Sam Louise
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:04 PM

    Sick c?@nts

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    Mute Sean Ryan
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    Nov 29th 2019, 12:56 PM

    Bring back hanging

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    Mute marianne ryan
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    Nov 29th 2019, 5:28 PM

    Should be banned for life and jail sentences for any cruelty.

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    Mute Rebecca De Stanleigh
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    Nov 29th 2019, 2:08 PM

    Fabulous breed. The owner should be hung up.

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    Mute JoyMonkey
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    Nov 29th 2019, 10:34 PM

    10 lashes in the village square.

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    Mute Jaymes Moynihan
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    Nov 30th 2019, 7:29 AM

    Ban him for life!!! Decent people wouldn’t even let this happen ONE time! This country is the absolute pits when it comes to cases of animal cruelty!! Nothing but fines and slaps on the wrists. People who are cruel to animals are almost always cruel to people. A crime like this isn’t taken nearly as seriously as it should be, and that is absolutely shameful. Glad they named him! I hope he gets his due! That guy and those li chin are sub Human in my eyes.

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    Mute Seamus Murphy
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    Nov 29th 2019, 5:04 PM

    Looks more like a boxer dog than a Staffordshire.

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    Mute Karllye kripton
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    Nov 29th 2019, 5:31 PM

    I can’t stand these type of Fcukers like why do they even get pets then starve them FFS , it’s 100 colors of shit should be kick outta them

    18
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