The 70-year-old owner of a Waterford based animal sanctuary has been jailed for 8 months having pleaded guilty to endangering the health and welfare of a animals.
Deise Animal Sanctuary, run by 70-year-old Pat Edwards was the subject of an inspection by the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Marine, and a senior inspector from the ISPCA.
The visit, which took place on February 23rd 2023, found 'serious and significant ongoing animal welfare problems.
During the visit, it was noted that debris, rubbish, building materials and hazards were present which were deemed to pose a significant safety risk.
The following day, an Animal Health and Welfare Notice was served on Ms. Edwards directing that no more animals be admitted to the sanctuary, which is located in Knockaree, Ballymacarbry.
A further requirement was that existing animals be provided with appropriate vet treatment, housing, care and that records be made available to officials.
A follow-up visit took place on February 28th and 32 animals were surrendered to the ISPCA.
Inspection Findings
In evidence, Senior Inspector Lacey with the ISPCA told the court how these animals included a Harris hawk with a brass ring embedded in the skin of its leg, a number of buzzards with long-standing injuries, and a pigeon with an open fracture to its wing,
along with puppies with coats contaminated with faecal matter and with heavy worm burdens, cats with extensive matting, and a variety of other animals, both wild and domestic.
Veterinary examinations of the animals removed revealed a variety of health issues and six were euthanised on humane grounds.
These included a pigeon with its bone exposed and five buzzards with fractures that had not received appropriate treatment with the result that there was now no possibility of rehabilitation, and they could not be returned to the wild.
After further inspections conducted in March and April 2023 showed repeated failures to comply with the written notice, a search warrant was obtained and, on 12th May, a further 17 animals were removed.
These included pigs with severe skin conditions, 11 dogs and two fox cubs.
Throughout these visits repeated instructions were given to improve the accommodation for a fox named Shadow who had been confined in a small barren pen for six years, since he was a cub.
When the premises was inspected again on 30th June 2023, it was found that no improvements had been made and the pen was now completely overgrown with nettles.
The fox was seized and place in a specialist wildlife facility.
Ms Lacey further told the court that an inspection conducted last week found that new animals had been admitted, in contravention of the notice and that the animals’ living conditions were still sub-standard.
One dog had been euthanised by a vet since that visit.
Judge's Comments
Having heard the evidence, Judge O’Shea described Ms Edwards’ sanctuary as a “house of horrors”.
He said that there was “obvious neglect with veterinary level issues left untreated”, and that the offending was at the upper end of the scale in terms of gravity.
He described it as “shameful” and “egregious” and said it was “a breach of trust”.
He noted the aggravating factors of the scale of the suffering and the fact that Ms Edwards was still in breach of an Animal Health and Welfare notice”.
Sentencing
At Clonmel District Court on 26th November 2024, Ms. Pat Edwards (70), of Deise Animal Sanctuary, Knocknaree, Ballymacarbry, Co. Waterford pleaded guilty to causing suffering to or endangering the health and welfare of a variety of animals including
dogs, cats, horses, pigs, buzzards, a Harris hawk, a pigeon, and a variety of owls in February 2023. She also admitted offences connected to the microchipping of dogs.
Convicting Ms. Edwards under section 12(1) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act and the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015, Judge Brian O’Shea imposed two prison sentences of four months, to run consecutively, disqualified Ms. Edwards from
owning all animals for 20 years, and fined her €1,500.
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