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Animal charities have criticised the leniency of a sentence given to a Dublin man who violently killed his dog in a Dublin park.
Liam Dowling (44) was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, in lieu of a two-year sentence, by judge Martin Nolan, after he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to killing a Jack Russel terrier in a park area near Conliffe College, in Dublin last August.
Dowling was seen by witnesses swinging the dog overhead by its lead and hitting it against the ground, and standing on the dog’s head while pulling the lead.
Judge Nolan noted Dowling had been on prescription drugs at the time of the killing, and added he would not impose a ban on Dowling owning animals in order to not deprive Dowling’s child of having a dog.
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said on social media it was "shocked and angered" by the judge's decision.
The Dublin SPCA, which responded to calls from the public on the day the dog was killed, said: “Our inspectors have seldom seen such blatant cruelty to an animal perpetrated in full view of children and parents in a public park.”
The group also questioned why a lifetime ban on animal ownership was not implemented by the judge? It has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions to request that the leniency of the sentence be appealed.
The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 allows for the imposition of a fine of up to €250,000, imprisonment up to five years, or both for the killing of a protected animal outside of welfare regulations.
Dog’s Trust, Ireland’s largest dog welfare charity, said they were “shocked and dismayed that no custodial sentence was imposed”.
They added: “We strongly believe this sends out the wrong message regarding animal cruelty and undermines the recent Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.”
Mark Bealzey, executive director of the charity, said “it is totally unacceptable that this individual was not banned from keeping animals for the rest of his life.”