30th June 2026

In a Dublin District Court on 22nd June, a male nurse from Dublin 15, was found guilty for animal cruelty under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

He was banned for life from owning, keeping, caring for or working with dogs after he allowed his Bichon Frise, Snowy, to suffer “excruciating” pain without seeking urgent veterinary treatment.

The court heard that when NSPCA Inspector Lawlor rescued Snowy in February 2025, the dog was crying in pain and in a “very, very painful state”.

Snowy’s coat was heavily matted and covered in faecal matter, she was suffering from a severe eye infection, and she was bleeding every time she attempted to urinate.

Inspector Lawlor told the court the dog was in such pain that she was transferred to the NSPCA immediately for emergency treatment.

In court NSPCA veterinary surgeon Dr. Kavanagh told the court that emergency surgery revealed four large bladder stones, which had to be removed.

He said the stones had prevented Snowy from properly emptying her bladder, causing her significant pain and bleeding whenever she tried to urinate.

He also told the court that the severe matting of the dog’s coat would itself have been extremely painful and rejected the defendant’s claim that the dog’s condition could have been caused by a road traffic incident.

The defendant denied the charges and claimed he loved his dog. He told the court he believed Snowy had been struck by a car after he heard tyres screech and a dog scream outside his home.

He said he saw a car driving away in the distance and believed the driver had hit the dog and taken her away before she was allegedly returned to the area the following day.

He also claimed Snowy had shown none of the symptoms described by the NSPCA witnesses and suggested the dog’s condition was due to the cold and wet weather, saying her coat had not been clipped to maintain a “bubbly” appearance.

Judge Anthony Halpin rejected the defendant’s account, saying he had no doubt the dog had been permitted to live in excruciating pain and discomfort without the care and attention she urgently required.

The judge found that Snowy had been unable to urinate without discharging blood and concluded the defendant had failed to provide the treatment necessary to prevent her suffering.

The defendant was spared a custodial sentence but Judge Anthony Halpin ordered him to pay a total of €4,000 in fines, costs and expenses, in addition to receiving a lifetime ban on owning a dog.