Man denies involvement in dogfights

EGAR

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1016/1224069691307.html

Man denies injured pitbull found in boot of car was used for dog fighting

DARA de FAOITEA

51-YEAR-OLD man has pleaded guilty to cruelty to a pitbull terrier, which a judge believes had been involved in an organised dog-fighting ring.

Gary Griffin, Raheen Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, appeared before Carlow District Court yesterday.

Mr Griffin claimed the dog had been used for fox hunting. However, Judge William Harnett said he suspected that the dog had been "engaged in animal fighting".

Garda Fiona Ruth, of Carlow Garda station, told the court she found the dog in the boot of Mr Griffin's car when she stopped the vehicle on the Wexford Road, Carlow, on December 17th, 2007.

She said the dog was distressed and badly wounded. The animal cruelty charge relates to the condition the dog was found in. The dog is now in the care of the ISPCA.

Owen O'Connor, solicitor for Mr Griffin, said his client had been fox hunting with friends and that a fox had "done this" to the dog.

Judge Harnett said the dog would not have suffered such injuries in fox hunting and that he had suspicion that the injured dog had been engaged in animal fighting.

Garda Ruth told the court Mr Griffin had one previous conviction under the Protection of Animals Act and another conviction for violent behaviour. Mr O'Connor claimed his client had successfully appealed his conviction under the Protection of Animals Act but that he did not have the documents to show this.

Mr O'Connor said his client did not wish to give evidence.

Judge Harnett adjourned the case to November 12th.

© 2008 The Irish Times

Sharpshooter

EGAR:

lf he is found guilty what type of punishment is he looking at?
Will they give the dog back to him if he is found not guilty?

l will refrain from commenting on him as l would likely get a ban, but l really would like to know what happens in these cases.:mad:

EGAR

In my experience it very much depends on the judge on the day of sentencing. They usually get away with a fine and the dog will be pts'd. These dogs cannot win, they either die in a pit or they are being seized and pts'd .

Sharpshooter

The Judge in this case seems to be well up on Dog Fights and what an animal looks like after one , so if it is the same Judge when it comes back up maybe he won't go so easy on him.
Poor dogs don't have a chance in these circumstances.:mad:

Our man in Havana

Judge Hartnett is a tough judge. I would not like to cross him.

Sharpshooter

Hopefully he will get more than a slapped wrist so.
lt would be nice if these cases came up before a Judge that knew about animals and what goes on, and therefore hand out a sentence accordingly.
Or am l being naive here?

golden

Cases like that just makes me sick. Whats wrong with people!!!

My friends rottie was stolen as bait. Teeth filed down nails taken out without any pain killers. The rottie escaped the B........... it was never the same again always wary of strangers would hide in the corner. from what was a well balanced loving rottie to a nervous wreck it was sad to see.

EGAR

Has anyone a contact address for the judge/courts?

I have emailed the ISPCA and offered help for the dog, as he is sure to be pts'd.

cowzerp

i hope the judge issues a jail sentence and a hefty fine, there has to be strong detterents to this sort of stuff.

Cole

sharpshooterH wrote: »

lf he is found guilty what type of punishment is he looking at?
Will they give the dog back to him if he is found not guilty?

l will refrain from commenting on him as l would likely get a ban, but l really would like to know what happens in these cases.:mad:

Penalties
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1996/en/act/pub/0037/sec0048.html#zza37y1996s48

Ban
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation&Year=1911&searchEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&blanketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumber=1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=1069356&ActiveTextDocId=1069361&filesize=895

Our man in Havana

EGAR wrote: »

Has anyone a contact address for the judge/courts?

I don't think it is appropriate to be contacting the courts especially about a matter that is already sub judice i.e. a matter already before the courts.

A person attempting to influence a Judge could find themselves in contempt of court.

There shall be no more discussion about contacting judges or courts.

EGAR

Bond, you shouldn't jump the gun so quickly.

A person attempting to influence a Judge could find themselves in contempt of court.

I have never implied that I would do such a thing.

Only the Courts/Judge can order the dog be released from the ISPCA care into someone elses. I did the same way back then with Glor when he was being held as evidence by Saggart Pound. It was no problem as it was NO infererance (sp?) with the actual case.

looserock

golden wrote: »

Cases like that just makes me sick. Whats wrong with people!!!

My friends rottie was stolen as bait. Teeth filed down nails taken out without any pain killers. The rottie escaped the B........... it was never the same again always wary of strangers would hide in the corner. from what was a well balanced loving rottie to a nervous wreck it was sad to see.

This would make me want to do bad things if I found those bas...ds.

Hendrix89

That sick foul excuse for a human being deserves a good heavy beating himself. Animals never get justice in this country. He'll get a convenient little fine as always (like a damn parking violation!) and walk free with a sly smile on his face. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone guilty of animal cruelty getting a prison sentence (even for the most cruel, evil acts)... and this will be no different. This county never learns... It's a disgrace.

luckat

Why on earth is someone with a previous conviction allowed to have a dog? Poor little dog.

cowzerp

Because this country's animal laws are pathetic..

Cole

The laws are poor, but not quite as bad as people think. For example, the courts could impose a lifetime ban in this case.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1965/en/act/pub/0010/sec0018.html#zza10y1965s18

The courts simply don't use the legislation that is already there, to its full effect.

arybvtcw0eolkf

luckat wrote: »

Why on earth is someone with a previous conviction allowed to have a dog? Poor little dog.

There's an element of Irish society who shouldn't be allowed to have children, let alone a dog.

Its a pity some people can't be neutured to make THEM save for homing!.

mel123

There should be more of a clampdown on pit, bulls in this country because too many of them are being used for dog fighting. Im not saying they should be totally banned, as i know some are much loved pets, but it needs more monitoring. Name and shame for the people who get caught dog fighting, in the national papers, nice big pictures of the culprit, its totally disguisting and they should be sent into a pit with the dogs themselves :mad:

arybvtcw0eolkf

mel123 wrote: »

There should be more of a clampdown on pit, bulls in this country because too many of them are being used for dog fighting. Im not saying they should be totally banned, as i know some are much loved pets, but it needs more monitoring. Name and shame for the people who get caught dog fighting, in the national papers, nice big pictures of the culprit, its totally disguisting and they should be sent into a pit with the dogs themselves :mad:

Mmmm, yea :rolleyes:

golden

mel123 wrote: »

There should be more of a clampdown on pit, bulls in this country because too many of them are being used for dog fighting. Im not saying they should be totally banned, as i know some are much loved pets, but it needs more monitoring. Name and shame for the people who get caught dog fighting, in the national papers, nice big pictures of the culprit, its totally disguisting and they should be sent into a pit with the dogs themselves :mad:

Thats a total generalisation that all APB are bad!! If the sort of people can not get their hands on APB they will get other dog aggressive dogs to fight so clamping down on APB will not work. Most of the APB that are used for fighting are made to be dog aggressive.

Why do American police use APB then for sniffer dogs (they do not tolerate a bite if the dog bites the dog gets PTS).

I have known some APB and they are gorgeous very loving dogs perhaps ban the people then

Lilly/DNB

mel123 wrote: »

There should be more of a clampdown on pit, bulls in this country because too many of them are being used for dog fighting. Im not saying they should be totally banned, as i know some are much loved pets, but it needs more monitoring. Name and shame for the people who get caught dog fighting, in the national papers, nice big pictures of the culprit, its totally disguisting and they should be sent into a pit with the dogs themselves :mad:

We have a problem with over population with all breeds and crosses in this country.
i would more believe in building a protection group seen as the law is never enforced on the people who cause and inflict unbearable pain on a dog because it just so happened's to be a certain breed, pit bulls originated from Ireland and England decades ago there was never any bad rep about this breed or any breed really for that matter in those days, what’s changed?? its not the dogs its the people and until these people are seriously dealt with and made an example of dog fights are never going to stop, in some country’s APBT/pit bulls are ban altogether and there’s still illegal dogs fights happening all over the world , its not the pit bull breed or any breed that’s causing problems its our breed humans. The problem is not 2 many of them being used for dog fighting. no there's to many scumbags out there using these dogs as gambling tools they are the one's that there should be less of,

well done Sarah on offering a rescue space for this poor little one fingers crossed you get her and give her a second chance, if you do and rehabilitate her it would be a great ending to a bad story and a start to a good one, a story for the public and to prove a lot of people wrong out there about this amazing breed, if you need any help just ask

Lilly/DNB

Mairt wrote: »

There's an element of Irish society who shouldn't be allowed to have children, let alone a dog.

Its a pity some people can't be neutured to make THEM save for homing!.

so so true lol:p