Restricted breed German shepherd was uncontrolled and not muzzled, Cork court told

The dog owner was convicted and fined €1,000

A witness told the court that the dog had come into his garden where he had chickens and he had to fire a warning shot from a shotgun to scare it away. File picture: iStock

A German shepherd dog was left out without a muzzle and not on a lead despite being a restricted breed, the district court in Cork has heard.

Ina O’Brien of Aghavrin, Coachford, Co Cork, was prosecuted by Cork County Council and pleaded guilty to failing to keep the dog under control on October 3, 2024, and not muzzling the dog in public on October 6, 2024. 

As a restricted breed the German shepherd dog must be kept on a lead shorter than two metres and be muzzled when in a public place.

The court heard that the local dog warden had received several complaints about the dog and several fines were issued, some of which were paid and some were not. 

The court was told that on one occasion when the dog warden arrived at O’Brien’s property she was arguing with her neighbour Paul Cunneen who had reported the matter. The warden said he had not witnessed the dog loose on the road himself.

Giving evidence, witness Paul Cunneen said he saw the dog out on the road by itself without a muzzle on July 25, 2025, after the matter had initially come to court. 

He told the court that on a previous occasion the dog had come into his garden where he had chickens and he had to fire a warning shot from a shotgun to scare it away. Mr Cunneen said since then O’Brien had improved fencing at her property and he had not seen the dog unaccompanied since.

Defence solicitor, Sean Cahill, put it to Mr Cunneen that he had made the complaints about the dog since falling out with his neighbour Ina O’Brien in April 2024 and that they had previously been on good terms and he would even bring treats for her dogs. 

Mr Cunneen admitted there had been a falling out but denied it was the reason he had reported the dog.

Judge Joanne Carroll said she was quite satisfied that Ina O’Brien did not initially understand the “gravity of the situation”. She said for restricted breeds to be in a public place unmuzzled and without their owner was a very serious matter. 

She said: “Some dog owners can be cavalier and don’t understand how other people can be put in fear of dogs if they are not controlled.”

For the incident on October 3, 2024, O’Brien was convicted and fined €1,000 and given six months to pay. The October 6 matter was adjourned to March 2026.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.