HORRIFIC…Vet at the Brook Clinic described dog’s terrible condition.
AN ENNISKILLEN woman has been given a suspended sentence after her dog was found in such poor health, including having an open wound on its neck and maggots in its ears, it had to be put down.
Deirdre Young of Derrin Road appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing on a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog.
A spokesman for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council told the court that on June 20th, 2016 the brown and white Springer Spaniel was found and brought to the Brook Veterinary Clinic in poor condition.
The 13-year-old dog was emaciated, almost seven kilos below the average weight of a Springer Spaniel, and had its hair was badly matted.
It had a three to four inch open wound on its neck, and it had conjunctivitis in each eye. Every one of its toenails was curled around and in-growing into the pads of its paws, causing it pain. It had maggots in his ear, at its back end, and in the wound on its neck. Given its poor state of health, it was decided to put the dog down.
The vet at the Brook said that it was one of the worst cases they’d seen in 26 years. When District Judge Michael Ranaghan saw the photos of the dog he said it was the worst he’d seen in his career.
Defend barrister Ciaran Roddy explained at the time the dog was found Young and her family had previously lived in Leitrim where the dog had two acres of land to roam. After they moved to Enniskillen the dog didn’t have the same freedom, but would wander and a dog warden was told by Young’s partner that the dog had been missing for several weeks.
At the time when the dog was found Mr Roddy said the single mother-of-two, who had no previous convictions, had been going through a distressing time in her life, and had felt very overwhelmed and unable to cope.
Judge Ranaghan disqualified Young from owning animals for five years, and sentenced her to five months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge told the defendant not to thank him for suspended the sentence, stating he had only done so as she had been going through a difficult situation and was a single mother. Young was also fined £100 and ordered to pay over £200 in costs.
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