Crime & Law

Limerick man fined for mistreatment of more than 30 dogs

Seamus Looby did not own the dogs which were delivered to property by another man

One of the dogs found on Seamus Looby’s Co Limerick farm. Photograph: ISPCA

Fri Sep 21 2018 - 11:13

A Limerick man has been fined €1,150 for causing unnecessary suffering to dogs and having the unburied carcasses of two dogs and one puppy on his property.

Seamus Looby, with an address at Raheen, Garryspillane, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to the charges in Kilmallock District Court on Tuesday, September 18th.

He was charged with a number of offences including causing unnecessary suffering to dogs, and having chained, unburied carcasses of dogs on his property.

The dogs found on Seamus Looby’s Co Limerick farm were in poor condition. Photograph: ISPCA

ISPCA animal welfare inspectors seized 37 dogs from Looby’s farm on May 16th, 2017 after they were alerted to the condition of the dogs on his property by May Humphries, a Department of Agriculture vet.

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The dogs, mostly collies, were found in substandard conditions without access to clean drinking water. Many were flea-ridden, tightly chained in outhouses and sheds, and were weak and lethargic. Two adult dogs and one puppy were dead.

Looby was restricted from keeping dogs for a period of 18 months under section 58 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

Judge Marion O Leary also ordered him to pay an additional €1,000 to the ISPCA toward the costs of the investigation.

Looby’s solicitor told the court the dogs had been delivered to his property by another man, who chained them in different areas and advised they be kept that way.

He claimed the dogs were only there for two weeks, which was confirmed by Ms Humphries, who had visited the property during that time frame and did not see any dogs.

Lisa O’Donovan, the senior ISPCA inspector in the case said after the hearing that the number of dogs involved and the extent of the neglect was deplorable.

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