A woman who forced her way into a Co Donegal dog pound and tried to take back two dogs she had left in to be rehomed has been ordered to pay €300 to the ISPCA.
Esther O’Kane visited the Letterkenny Dog Pound demanding the two dogs she had dropped off two days previously be returned to her.
However, staff told her she did not have licences for them.
Ms O’Kane (23), of Cavanacor House, Lifford, then made her way into pens at the pound, took possession of one of the dogs and called the dog wardens “scumbags”. The court heard she recorded the incident using a Go Pro camera.
Ms O’Kane was locked into the pens after the door was closed behind her and gardaí were called.
She was charged with entering a building with intent to commit an offence and also criminal damage. She pleaded guilty to both charges.
Animals’ safety
Patsy Gallagher, for Ms O’Kane, said his client was concerned for the safety of the animals she had left at the pound.
One of the dogs was injured and Ms O’Kane feared the animal would not have been rehomed but destroyed, he said.
Judge Paul Kelly at Letterkenny District Court said there was a particular mindset in operation when Ms O’Kane entered the building with a camera, and described the overall incident as “bizarre”.
Mr Gallagher said his client had never been before the court in her life and had done a lot of good work with animal welfare charities and for the Donegal Hospice.
Judge Kelly ordered Ms O’Kane to pay €300 to the ISPCA and adjourned the case until May 9th.