Cork horse-racing heiress accused of running 'red flag' puppy farm
Dogs were in 'very, very cramped conditions', unable to avoid standing in their own faeces and urine, Cork County Council veterinary inspector Carol Nolan told Mallow District Court. Picture: Larry Cummins
A Cork horse-racing heiress has been accused in court of keeping dogs in sub-zero conditions, with no access to water, soaked in urine and standing in faeces in cramped, dirty pens.
Anne Broderick had more than 80 breeding bitches and more than 200 dogs in total, kept in unsafe and unsanitary facilities, according to vets who inspected her dog-breeding business in Doneraile, Co Cork.
One little dog was found with an apparently infected bite wound on its neck, another had untreated infections in both eyes.
Puppies were found “soaked in urine”.
Dogs were in “very, very cramped conditions”, unable to avoid standing in their own faeces and urine, Cork County Council veterinary inspector Carol Nolan told Mallow District Court.
Multiple dogs, including larger breeds like Alsatians, displayed worrying, abnormal behaviours, she said, which were “red flags” for animal welfare and indicated prolonged confinement in a deficient environment.
Some dogs stood on their hind legs “like Meerkats”, others repeatedly jumped in their pens and barked excessively and one dog turned in repeated circles.
Dogs were also found without bedding or heating in sub-zero temperatures.
Ms Nolan was giving evidence during an appeal Ms Broderick brought to the court against a closure order Cork County Council had imposed on her dog-breeding facility at The Hermitage, Doneraile, Co Cork, in January.
The closure order was issued under the Dog Breed Establishments Act (2010) after Ms Broderick failed to comply with the terms of a Dog Breeding Establishment Order and an Animal Health and Welfare Notice.
Although Ms Broderick had a licence to breed 50 bitches, inspectors said they found more than 80, with 218 dogs and puppies in total. The dogs were in unsanitary, cramped and freezing conditions, many had no access to water or uncontaminated food bowls. Some were seen eating their own faeces.
Problems had been repeatedly identified at the facility since 2017, Ms Nolan said.
Ms Nolan gave more than two hours of evidence at Mallow District Court of repeated inspections which found overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions, with dogs unable to avoid the faeces and urine in their dirty, cramped pens.
Soiled litter, faeces and urine were “squelching beneath my wellies” when she walked in some of the dog pens.
A routine animal welfare inspection on Oct 6, 2022, revealed “a whole host of red flags” with overcrowded kennels, dirty with faeces and urine, vermin harbourage and behavioural abnormalities in the dogs, a significant risk of disease and a failure to produce records.
Ms Nolan said it was clear from the smell and amount of faeces and urine that regular cleaning was not taking place.
Some dogs had unkempt, tangled coats, with their eyes covered with knotted hair.
Ms Nolan said another vet at the scene told Ms Broderick that he was “appalled” by conditions and that dogs there were being farmed like cattle.
An improvement notice was issued.
Although the facility was somewhat cleaner with some improvements made like the expansion of pen sizes on the subsequent inspection on October 14, 2022, many other improvements had not been complied with, the court heard.
Ms Broderick was “adversarial” on this visit, the court heard, and allegedly accused Cork County Council’s vet inspectors of bullying and harassment, reportedly saying that “people had been driven to suicide for less”.
On this inspection many dogs still had no access to drinking water, Ms Nolan said.
Ms Broderick was warned if she did not comply with the council’s improvement notice, a court order to remove her breeding register or a closure order would be issued.
The ISPCA accompanied Cork County Council vets on a subsequent inspection due to the seriousness of the conditions, the court heard.
They climbed the gate to get in as there was no answer when they called.
Dogs were found with no bedding and no heating in sub-zero temperatures, with water dispensers that had iced over, Ms Nolan said.
A Bichon quite heavily in pup had no bedding, no heat source, and darted away from Ms Nolan “like a cat” when she tried to pet her, which is not normal for this “companiable” breed which “generally likes to be fussed over and petted”.
Yorkshire Terriers were found “in a state of neglect”, with overgrown coats and soiled litter and faeces stuck to their coats and paws.
Urine is an irritant and can cause inflammation to paws when dogs have to walk in it, Ms Nolan said.
Puppies were found “stinking of urine” and a Bichon had alopecia on a limb.
Having consulted with the ISPCA, a closure order was recommended and was issued on January 3.
Some 47 dogs were removed from the facility on a cold evening on January 23. They were found wet — some “drenched” — with urine-stained paws and without bedding. Many were in low body condition, some had an eye discharge.
Ray Boland, senior counsel for Ms Broderick, said his client would contest the council’s evidence with expert witnesses.
Ms Broderick now only has five breeding bitches which is legal without a licence, and has 11 dogs in total, the court heard.
Mr Boland said she “overextended herself” last year, exporting dogs to Singapore.
Judge Colm Roberts adjourned the case until July 17 for mention, with three days to be set for the rest of the hearing in September.
Ms Broderick’s father, John, was well-known in horse-racing circles, having bred Paddy De Plasterer, which won at Cheltenham.
He died in 2016, leaving Ms Broderick a share of his €11m estate.
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