A 63-yr-old woman has received a four-month suspended sentence and a lifelong ban on keeping animals after authorities found she had been mistreating nearly 80 dogs.
Sandra Hennessy, of Dunmoon, North Tallow, Co Waterford, was sentenced by Judge John O’Leary at Dungarvan District Court after pleading guilty to 22 counts under the Animal Welfare Act for causing unnecessary suffering to dogs at her previous home in Dyrick, Ballinamult, Co Waterford, between July 2024 and February 2025, reports RTE.
The offences were in breach of Sections 11, 12 and 13 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
Prosecuting Counsel Brian Kearney, B.L., informed the court that the accused had entered a guilty plea and that around 70 dogs were involved, reports RTE.
Senior Animal Welfare Inspector Alice Leacy told the court about her initial inspection of Ms Hennessy’s home on 23 July last year following a welfare complaint.
Upon arrival, she spoke with Ms Hennessy, who initially claimed she had 29 dogs, but further checks revealed the number was closer to 79, reports RTE.
Around 20 dogs were located inside the house, while others were kept in outhouses in improvised pens and cages, with bedding consisting of cardboard and plastic boxes.
The sheds lacked lighting, the dogs were very dirty, and the pens were closed; about 30 dogs were confined to a small shed area in separate cramped kennels, reports RTE.
The dogs were mostly small terrier mixes, including some Yorkshire Terriers.
Although they were being fed, many had ear infections, eye issues, and respiratory illnesses, reports RTE.
Ms Leacy described finding a Lurcher wrapped in a blanket, with women’s sanitary towels placed over the dog’s body.
When she removed one of the sanitary towels, she found the animal had deep wounds exposing bone, reports RTE.
Of approximately 59 additional dogs discovered, a number were heavily pregnant.
One heavily pregnant dog was found in a bath with a mother and her puppies, along with another pregnant female, reports RTE.
Other pregnant dogs were also located around the property.
The Lurcher had suffered severe injuries falling under the Animal Welfare Protection Act, she said, reports RTE.
The dog was later euthanised, and Ms Leacy described seeing the shoulder bone and other bones protruding when the animal was moved.
On 30 July, 34 dogs were removed from the premises, followed by another 21 on 29 August, reports RTE.
The dogs were placed into the care of Dogs Trust, with some underweight and others suffering from chronic ear infections.
After these dates, Ms Hennessy kept ten dogs at her new residence, despite being instructed to reduce the number, reports RTE.
Responding to Mr Kearney, Ms Leacy said that due to the seriousness of the case and the suffering endured by the animals, she believed some form of disqualification was warranted.
The associated costs, including veterinary bills, x-rays, and other expenses incurred by the ISPCA, totalled about €5,582, reports RTE.
Defence Counsel Sara Jane Comerford told the court this was not a puppy-farming operation and that Ms Hennessy had not been breeding dogs for sale, but rather accumulating them.
Ms Comerford explained that Ms Hennessy had been living in the house with dogs occupying every room, reports RTE.
Replying to Ms Comerford, Ms Leacy said the Lurcher had been in an extremely tragic condition.
A series of photographs of the dogs were shown to Judge O’Leary, along with pictures of the ten dogs currently at Ms Hennessy’s new address, reports RTE.
Ms Leacy further stated that several of the dogs suffered from body sores and that some welfare concerns were particularly difficult to witness.
Ms Comerford said the accused is a single woman who takes in dogs, adding that while she had not neutered them, uncontrolled breeding eventually spiralled, reports RTE.
“This morning she was quite emotional in court at having let this happen. She let the dogs down and found it quite hard to talk about it,” Ms Comerford said, reports RTE.
Ms Comerford said lessons had been learned and that her client now accepts she cannot manage more than ten dogs.
She noted that multiple sentencing options were available to the court, reports RTE.
Regarding the expenses, she said Ms Hennessy is not currently in a position to pay them.
Judge O’Leary stated that, having considered the facts, this was “a very serious case”, reports RTE.
He imposed a four-month sentence on each of the 22 charges, to run concurrently, and suspended all sentences for one year.
Judge O’Leary also issued a lifetime ban under Section 58 of the Animal Welfare Act preventing Ms Hennessy from keeping any animals, and ordered the immediate removal of the ten dogs still at her property, reports RTE.
He made no order regarding costs.
Recognizances of €200 were set in the event of an appeal, reports RTE.
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