L.S.P.C.A

Limerick Society for The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals

St. Joseph's Scout Group

Leader Sheila Hickey and the children of St. Joseph's Scout Group presenting LSPCA Inspector Noel Shinnors with 2 hampers filled with goodies for needy animals

SINCERE THANK YOU FROM lspca

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COLAISTE MHUIRE, ASKEATON

Pictures of students from

Colaiste Mhuire, Askeaton

Denise Lyons & Shannon O'Sullivan presented a very generous cheque to our society.

They organised an OUT OF UNIFORM day and raised money for us.

WE WITH TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE THANKS TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED AND ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS WHO ARE SO CONCERNED AND INTERESTED IN THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS.

A special Thank You to the students who contacted our office with an idea they had to help raise funds for our society and who were responsible in organising the event.

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BALLYAGRAN NATIONAL SCHOOL

'THANK YOU' TO THE SIXTH YEAR STUDENTS OF

BALLYAGRAN NATIONAL SCHOOL

WHO ORGANISED  A 'JUMBLE SALE' TO RAISE FUNDS, WITH HELP FROM STUDENTS OF FIFTH CLASS.

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GAELSCOIL AONACH, CO. THIBRAID ARANN

donation received from Chloe & Liam

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THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND DONATION

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 NEWS

ANIMAL CRUELTY

KATHRYN HAYES

A CO LIMERICK farmer has been given a four-month jail sentence for cruelty to animals “of the most appalling kind”.

Limerick District Court heard evidence yesterday of how a cow was dragged by a rope attached to a tractor through a field where it was left lying without water for a week.

Richard Smith (48), Lemonfield, Crecora, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to two charges of cruelty to animals and to one charge of failing to inspect his herd at his Co Limerick farm on March 15th, 2008.

An inspector with the Limerick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LSPCA) asked that Smith, who has a previous conviction for animal cruelty, be banned from keeping animals for life after he described the injuries in the case “as the most horrendous” he had ever seen.

Noel Shinnors submitted photos taken during an inspection of Smith’s farm, which Judge Tom O’Donnell said were “the most upsetting I have seen in my time as a judge”.

“The cruelty in this case brings this to a much higher level that must offend every sense of decency and there are aspects which are utterly awful,” he said. “There is clear evidence in relation to one animal where there was deliberate infliction of pain and suffering of the most awful nature . . . This was cruelty of the most appalling kind.”

Mr Shinnors said an inspection was carried out on Smith’s farm on March 15th following an anonymous phone call about a cow being left to die in a field. He called the Garda after he failed to make contact with the farmer or gain access to his land. When they went to inspect the farm, they discovered a cow in the yard, which was very thin and malnourished.

Mr Shinnors told of how another cow had been dragged through the field by a rope and a tractor. “This cow had suffered the most horrendous injuries I’ve ever seen in my life.” He said the whole back of the cow’s body had rotted and said there was a rope tied around its hind legs.

May Humphries, district inspector with the Department of Agriculture told the court that 15 animals had been removed from Smith’s farm since this incident. She agreed that the photos submitted to the court were “most appalling”.

During a visit to Smith’s farm this week, she observed that the animals had enough fodder but expressed concern that the farmer was not able to cope with the management of a dairy herd.

Defence solicitor John Herbert said his client suffered from depression, which had peaked prior to the offences following a “very difficult winter for farmers”.

He said prison would be “detrimental” to him. He was slowly beginning to accept that running a dairy farm was not for him and that IFA members also believed he should leave dairy farming.

Before imposing the sentence, Judge O’Donnell said it was manifestly clear that the pain and suffering in the case was a result “of the deliberate and appalling conduct of the defendant”.

He agreed to postpone the start of the sentence until February 18th to allow Smith time to make arrangements for his farm.

Judge O’Donnell fined him a total of €2,500 on the animal cruelty charges and also ordered that he pay the LSPCA expenses of €1,000.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

Animal Cruelty appeal at Limerick Circuit Court

A local election candidate convicted of animal cruelty charges - described by a judge as being of the most appalling kind - has given an undertaking not to keep livestock on his county Limerick farm during the winter months.

Richard Smith of Lemonfield Crecora has also agreed not to breed animals and to limit his stock to 40 or less.

The 48 year old received 173 votes after running as an independent candidate for the Adare Electoral Area earlier this month.

His appeal against a 4 month sentence imposed last January for animal cruelty charges has been adjourned for one year.

A veterinary surgeon attached to the Department of Agriculture who inspected Richard Smith's farm yesterday told the court today that things are satisfactory but added that a picture has emerged over the past four years that demonstrates Mr Smith's mismanagement of the herd.

May Humphreys said it is her opinion Mr Smith is not able to manage cows. She said calves on his farm have a high mortality rate and being a part-time farmer he does not give them enough attention.

She attributed positive changes on the farm to a high level of supervision and said if he engaged in the summer grazing of male animals, this should not cause problems.

The court heard Richard Smith has given a number of undertakings to that effect.

Judge Carroll Moran adjourned the appeal of his four month sentence for twelve months with liberty to re-enter if he fails to comply with the terms of the agreement.

Smith jail sentence appeal adjourned for a year

Richard Smith: appeal

Published Date: 18 June 2009

By Petula Martyn

UNSUCCESSFUL local election candidate Richard Smith has given an undertaking not to keep or breed animals on his Crecora farm during winter months at Limerick Circuit Court where he appealed the severity of a four-month jail sentence imposed for animal cruelty.

Judge Carroll Moran agreed to adjourn the appeal for a year to allow Mr Smith, who got 173 votes in the Adare electoral area as an Independent candidate, comply with the undertakings.

Last January, Mr Smith, 48, of Lemonfield, Crecora, received a four-month prison sentence for animal cruelty. Limerick District Court was told that a number of cows and calves had to be put down as they were "emaciated and malnourished" when gardai and Department of Agriculture inspectors visited at the farm in March 2008.

Judge Tom O'Donnell had described the offences as "utterly awful" and he had fined Mr Smith €2,500 and ordered him to pay €1,000 towards the expenses of the LSPCA.

Veterinary surgeon, May Humphries, attached to the Department of Agriculture told Limerick Circuit Court this Wednesday that the part-time farmer "is not able to manage cows", and he "does not give a lot of attention to calves".

"In my opinion, Mr Smith should not have cows on his farm; he should not have calves; he should not have breeding females," Ms Humphries said.

However, when the court returned after lunch, it was told that Mr Smith, who runs Richie Tyres, Kilmallock Road, had agreed to abide by a number of provisions set down by the court.

Mr Smith must not increase his existing stock; he must not have stock on the farm over winter, he must only engage in keeping non-breeding animals between March 15 and November 15 and at no stage must his herd exceed 40 units.

Judge Moran agreed that the undertakings were "a happy resolution" and adjourned Mr Smith's district court appeal by one year.
He told the court that if Mr Smith is found not to be complying with these undertakings that the State can re-enter the matter.

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We are most grateful to Maxi Zoo for such a sizeable donation as a result of their fund raising for Nov. 08

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