Gardaí in Waterford have arrested a driver and seized a vehicle after nine dogs were found in cages.
The discovery came as part of the gardaí's Operation Fanacht, which is continuing throughout the city and county this weekend.
Gardaí say nine dogs were found in cramped conditions inside the vehicle, they are now being cared for by the WSPCA.
The driver was arrested and the car taken.
Waterford Gardaí were conducting a checkpoint as part of #OperationFanacht when they stopped this car. There were 9 dogs found in the vehicle in cramped conditions. The car and dogs were seized & the driver was arrested. The dogs are now in the care of the WSPCA.#heretohelp pic.twitter.com/JYdZsfHUf5
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) October 16, 2020
At other Waterford checkpoints, learner drivers who were driving unaccompanied have had their vehicles seized.
Gardai say three learners have so far received fines and had their cars taken for breaches of the Road Traffic Act.
Gardaí in Waterford conducting #OperationFanacht checkpoints this week detected three learner drivers, driving unaccompanied. All vehicles seized under the Road Traffic Act and fixed charge notices issued to the drivers. pic.twitter.com/EBnvTIQpRl
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) October 16, 2020
The gardai's high visibility nationwide policing plan has been put in place for the weekend to ensure public health guidelines are followed.
This will run alongside Operation Fanacht and Operation Navigation, which is investigating breaches of covid-19 guidelines.
Gardaí will have more checkpoints and patrols around public parks and popular attractions to ensure people are following Level 3 or Level 4 restrictions depending on the county they are in.
Officers say they will be encouraging people to follow the rules and say enforcement would only be used as a last resort
The overall aim of the plan is to help stop the spread of covid-19, as well as clamping down on criminal activity across the country.
It will run until midnight on Sunday.
