Woman pleads guilty in court in Tullamore to failing to control dogs who injured sheep

A woman pleaded guilty to failing to control her two dogs who went on to injure sheep, one of which later died. The woman also had no dog licence.

Before the court was Suzanne McDonagh, (59) Station Road, Castletown Geoghegan, Westmeath.

In his evidence to the court, Garda Conor Wynne said that March 26, 2022 a farmer found that six of his sheep were lame and one was badly injured at Conranstown, Castltown Geoghegan, Westmeath. One later died.

Then on April 4 2022, he saw two dogs worrying his sheep. Two collies had one sheep penned against a fence. The farmer shot one of the dogs and followed the other one back to where Ms McDonagh lived. She admitted owning the dogs which were chipped. She had no licence for the dogs.

She pleaded guilty to the offences. She told the judge she didn't know what to do about the situation. Judge Andrew Cody said he would have thought the first thing she should have done was to pay compensation to the farmer who was at a loss of €255.

Judge Cody put the case back to January 18, 2023 telling Ms McDonagh that it was important she compensate the farmer.