Woman's appeal against conviction lost

EGAR

A WOMAN who ran a dog rescue centre has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence after her appeal against a conviction for cruelty to more than 40 animals failed.

Cassidy Sinclair (50) was banned from ever owning a dog again after a court heard she had kept "rescued" dogs in a 6in deep "slurry mixture" of their own excrement and urine.

David Fagan, a vet who treated dogs seized from Ms Sinclair's house by gardaí, said many of the animals had "gaping and infected bite wounds in their flesh".

He said the dogs were "wallowing in their own excrement" and that these conditions had caused "unnecessary suffering" to the animals.

Ms Sinclair, Derrykearn, Abbeyleix, Co Laois, was convicted in May this year of cruelty to dogs at her rented home. Her appeal against the conviction was dismissed at Portlaoise Circuit Court this week by Judge Anthony Kennedy, who said the dogs had suffered "appalling cruelty".

Sgt John Malone, of Abbeyleix Garda station, said the smell of dog faeces and urine inside Ms Sinclair's house had made his "stomach churn and eyes water".

He said there was a 2ft high pile of dog faeces in the kitchen and "animal bones scattered all over the floor".

Brendan Hughes, animal welfare inspector with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he called to Ms Sinclair's house on March 12th this year. He said he found 20 dogs living in a compound measuring 20ft by 30ft and that there were also dogs living in "horrific conditions" inside Ms Sinclair's house.

He said the dogs were fed butchers' bones, which were scattered around the yard amongst a thick layer of dog excrement and urine.

Mr Hughes said he returned to the house the following day accompanied by gardaí and a vet and seized 27 dogs. A further 19 dogs were seized in follow up searches of the property.

Ms Sinclair told the court she had been rescuing dogs at the address for two years but that the "situation had exploded" and that people were leaving dogs at her gate. Judge Kennedy said he "utterly rejected" Ms Sinclair's evidence and said it was no wonder she had been barred for life by the District Court from owning dogs. He dismissed her appeal and applied a six-month suspended prison sentence to the life ban.


Dogs that were in the care of Cassidy Sinclair, seen here among old butcher's bones and excrement. Many of the animals had gaping and infected bite wounds in their flesh. Photograph: APX Cassidy
Photograph: The Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1218/1229523050472.html"]http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/irelan...9523050472.html

doctor evil

Classic animal hoarder. Do our authoritaries have much experience with this?

EGAR

I wouldn't say that. She was known to offload dogs onto rescues and did pose online as a rescue, even on this board.

peasant

EGAR wrote: »

I wouldn't say that. She was known to offload dogs onto rescues and did pose online as a rescue, even on this board.

She posted this gem here once:

By Sunday I'll have clocked up 53 dogs saved and placed.Every one would be dead (or worse) if I hadn't taken it in.
There's not ONE that I don't miss once they go,not ONE that's ever forgotten,not ONE that I don't wish I could keep forever.
Some have come to me as pups and gone out 2-3 years later.
It IS hard.
It IS worth it-and there's always more out there

Cottage Rescue

She is still off loading dogs onto Rescues.


and these rescues should have more sense than to be dealing with her.

padimus

I remember the DSPCA took a few of these dogs that were rescued from her. I volunteer up there when I can and at one point they had about nine greyhounds and lurchers that were removed from her place. Some really lovely dogs, probably some of the nicest I ever walked! All have been rehomed now (though greyhounds are quite difficult to find good homes for).

lightening

She is obviously insane.

arybvtcw0eolkf

If she's a member here can she not be named and shamed, because I for one don't want to chance crossing paths with her - here or in the real world.

Toulouse

Pretty sure she was banned around the time all of this came to light.

Just goes to show, you should always always check someone out and know who you're dealing with. The internet is a brilliant thing but people shouldn't always assume that people are as well intentioned as themselves.

Our man in Havana

Mairt wrote: »

If she's a member here can she not be named and shamed, because I for one don't want to chance crossing paths with her - here or in the real world.

She is no longer a member here.

Dudess

To be fair, there's a likelihood she's mentally ill as opposed to simply cruel and neglectful.

Our man in Havana

Dudess wrote: »

To be fair, there's a likelihood she's mentally ill as opposed to simply cruel and neglectful.

Very true.