Dogsey

A man has been sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to 16 counts of animal cruelty.

Wayne Cluskey of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath appeared before Trim District Court yesterday where ISPCA inspector Elaine Whyte outlined how she found animals in distressed state at his home.

Mr Cluskey pleaded guilty to a total of sixteen counts including cruelty to a number of dogs, cruelty to ferrets and permitting the carcass of a pony to remain unburied.

The case resulted from an operation in October 2013 involving the ISPCA, Gardaí and the Meath County Dog Warden.

ISPCA Inspector Elaine Whyte described to the court how an emaciated Staffordshire Bull Terrier and her eleven pups were found confined in a dirty shed.

Despite the fact that she was nursing such a large number of young pups, no food or water was available.

The dog, now named Cotton, and her pups was taken to the ISPCA’s National Animal Centre in Co Longford.

They all recovered fully and were responsibly re-homed.

On admission to the National Animal Centre, Cotton weighed in at just 13.5 Kg just over half of the ideal 26 Kg that she now weighs.

Speaking after the case, ISPCA Inspector Whyte said "We are delighted with the successful conclusion to this case both in terms of the conviction and the positive outcome for the dogs involved.

"We would like to give credit to the Gardaí for their hard work in bringing the matter to court”.

Judge Grainne Malone sentced Wayne Cluskey to four months imprisonment and banned from keeping all animals for two years.