Six people, including a veterinarian and the owner of the Ashton Pound in Dublin, have been tried for cruelty to animals.
The River Road Animal Shelter, Castleknock, operated a dog watchdog service for the greater Dublin area. However, a welfare investigation into the treatment and death of dogs was launched last year.
A veterinarian, the owner of the pound, the manager and three other employees were previously charged and appeared in Dublin District Court on Friday in connection with the treatment of two dogs last year.
Garda Sergeant Paul Keane presented them with evidence books.
Prosecutor Anna Bridgeman told the court that the director of the prosecution had agreed to try the charges.
Judge John Lindsay agreed to grant the order to be referred to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on January 28.
They did not specify how they are going to plead.
Copies of Garda interview videos must be made available to the defense
Judge Lindsay warned they would have 14 days to notify prosecutors if they had alibis.
Manager Donal Moroney, 67, of Ayrfield Drive, Coolock, Dublin, is accused of allowing another “layman” to kill a male white Bichon Frize and inflict unnecessary suffering.
A controlled drug called Release, which must be given intravenously, was reportedly given orally to the animal on July 24th last year at the shelter.
The drug was also given orally to a fawn Akita male, causing unnecessary suffering that same day.
On July 28th, Mr Moroney allegedly obstructed investigator Garda Aine McQuillan by failing to comply with a request made the previous day not to remove the Akita from his kennel. He is accused of failing to get a veterinarian’s attention to this dog immediately after the investigating Garda made this a request.
His remaining charges relate to violations of animal health regulations.
Veterinarian Sydney Nagle, 62, with an address in Oaks, Hollystown, Dublin 15, was charged on July 14, 2020 with possession of controlled drug release in the dog toilet in violation of drug regulations and laws.
Mr Nagle of Cara Veterinary Hospital in Ballycoolin, Dublin 15 is also accused of causing unnecessary harm to the Akita and Bichon Frize at the shelter on July 24th last year, contrary to Section 12 (1) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
He has a charge of indicting and allowing another person to kill a protected animal there that same day.
To suffer
The vet is also alleged to have failed to keep a record of purchases and sales, quantities administered, batch numbers and serial numbers of prescriptions on July 29, 2020.
He also has a fee for allowing a person to use a veterinary medicinal product for use by a veterinarian only.
David Stone, 63, the owner of the pound, who lives in Hazelbrook, Loughlinstown, Ratoath, County Meath, has faced three charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act. He is accused of causing unnecessary harm to the two dogs at the shelter on July 24th last year.
Mr. Stone is also charged with killing, arranging, or allowing someone else to kill a protected animal there that same day.
Gordon Markey Quinn, 22, of Nangle Court, Windtown, Navan, County Meath; Tamara Philips, 24, Westway Rise, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, and Raymond Connolly, 53, Claddagh Green, Ballyfermot, Dublin, face the same charges of the Akita and the Bichon Frize and caused or admitted the killing of a protected one Tier on July 24th, 2020.
Mr Connolly faces additional charges of obstruction of the investigating Garda at Pound four days later.
Mr. Nagle and Stone did not seek legal aid, but it was granted to the other co-defendants at the request of their attorneys. The manager of the pound, Mr. Moroney, will represent the senior legal aid counsel.
His attorney Danica Kinane told the court that Mr. Moroney would “fully deny” the charges.