Courts / Dublin / Report

Vet and Ashton Dog Pound supervisor fined over roles in euthanasia drug given to two dogs

Date
2024-08-01

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced two defendants for their roles in the unlawful administration of the euthanasia drug Dolethal to two dogs at Ashton Dog Pound in July 2020. Vet Sydney Nagle, 65, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or permitting a non-vet to possess the medicine, as well as four counts regarding record-keeping failures. He was fined €12,500, payable over six months. Judge Nolan noted Nagle was a fine vet who had done considerable service but failed to know the law, adding that Nagle may face consequences from an ongoing Veterinary Council of Ireland fitness-to-practice inquiry. Raymond Connolly, 56, the pound supervisor, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing the vet-only medicine and causing or permitting a lay person to administer it. He was fined €400, payable over six months. The judge described Connolly's culpability as low, stating he followed established instructions and could not be expected to know the legal intricacies. The court heard the dogs, an Akita and a Bichon Frise, suffered vomiting and diarrhoea after being dosed orally; one died, and the other was humanely euthanised days later. This follows previous fines for former pound manager Donal Moroney and owner David Stone for similar offences.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Vet and Ashton Dog Pound supervisor fined over roles in euthanasia drug given to two dogs. Charges or matters: two counts of causing or permitting someone other than a vet to have this medicine in their possession and control; two counts relating to possessing the vet-only medicine and causing or permitting a lay person to administer it to the two dogs over the weekend in question. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 24, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
January 2019 Other
July 2020 Other
February 2023 Other
2024-08-01 Publication

Why: The longstanding practice at the pound was that staff would orally give some of the drug to sedate dogs deemed dangerous and then the vet would arrive some hours later to administer it intravenously in order to euthanise the dogs, the court heard. Court evidence reported by CNI

Case subjects

Raymond Connolly

Defendant

Charges: two counts relating to possessing the vet-only medicine and causing or permitting a lay person to administer it to the two dogs over the weekend in question (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Vet Sydney Nagle

Defendant

Charges: two counts of causing or permitting someone other than a vet to have this medicine in their possession and control; two counts relating to possessing the vet-only medicine and causing or permitting a lay person to administer it to the two dogs over the weekend in question (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: In passing sentence yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan said he had no doubt that Nagle was a fine vet who has done "considerable service" to animals and animal owners.