A 30-year-old Tipperary man has been convicted of animal welfare offences at Clonmel Circuit Court in relation to a Patterdale Terrier found with severe facial injuries during a Garda search of a property in Clonmel in October 2024.
The court heard evidence from NSPCA Senior Inspector Alice Lacey, who attended the property at the request of Gardaí and found the dog petrified and cowering beneath a raised bed.
His eyes were almost closed shut with discharge from both, and part of his nose had been torn away.
The dog was seized and taken for veterinary examination, with the vet giving the opinion that the injuries were “consistent with an animal attack”.
Giving evidence, Ms Lacey told the court that in her ten years as an animal welfare inspector she had encountered a number of similar cases involving distinctive facial injuries to working breed dogs caused by wild animal attacks.
She noted that Patterdale Terriers are commonly used for hunting, during which such injuries can occur.
She stated: “A dog should never be in a position to sustain injuries like this in the first place. Any dog that does should be presented for veterinary treatment immediately.”
The court heard that the dog spent 534 days in NSPCA care after being seized, as the defendant refused opportunities to surrender the animal until the morning of the hearing.
Costs of €5,949.50 were submitted for the dog’s care, but none were awarded after it was noted that the defendant had six children under 11 and was currently on social welfare.
Judge Deirdre Browne described the dog, now named Broc and fully recovered, as “extraordinarily resilient” and said the case was “troubling, to put it mildly”.
The defendant was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was disqualified from owning dogs for life, except for two dogs currently in his care.
Commenting after the case, Senior Inspector Lacey said:
“It has been a long drawn-out process for Broc waiting for justice. We are relieved that his future is now secured and he can look forward to brighter days ahead”.
