Had cat hidden in her jumper at customs

July 1992

Unaware of the regulations governing the importation of pets into the country, and afraid that her cat would be frightened by all the noise going through the customs clearance area at Rosslare Harbour, a woman hid her pet under her jumper and attempted to go through the green customs channel with it.

That was the evidence Judge Sean Magee heard at Wexford District Court last week in the case of a woman who was charged with knowingly importing goods to defraud customs.

Before the court was [NAME WITHELD], Aungier Street, Dublin 1, who was fined £30 when convicted of the offence.

Customs Officer Sean P. McGranain said in evidence that on July 6 last year, he was in the baggage hall in Rosslare Harbour supervising the de-embarkation of passengers from the ‘St. Patrick 2’, which had arrived from Cherbourg.

‘At 2.40 p.m. I selected a female passenger and directed her to my colleague Redmond Cronin for examination of her luggage in the red channel,’ he said.

He added that the defendant was carrying a small cane-type cage suitable for a cat or dog, and when Mr Cronin had completed the search of her luggage, he asked her to remove all items from her pockets.

‘I became aware she had something up her jumper and when I asked her, she said that she had a cat. I requested her to produce the cat and put it in the cage, which she did.’

He continued that he then brought the cat to the customs office and then cautioned the defendant about its importation, and asked her to make a statement.

The statement read: ‘I was under the assumption that having spoken to four other people on board with animals, that it would be okay to bring my beautiful cat into Ireland.’

Witness continued that defendant was then brought to the Garda Station, and when charged, she replied: ‘I am sorry. It was simply an act of compassion’.

Witness added that VAT at 21% was due on the cat, and continued that he had never seen a cat legally imported through Rosslare Harbour. Animals usually came through Dublin, he said.

Answering Inspector Pat Delaney, he said that the usual procedure with animals being brought in was that they would be quarantined for six months by the Department of Agriculture. The cost of this – usually in the region of £800 to £1,000 – would be borne by the animal’s owner.

The defendant said that she had brought the cat from Berlin, where she had spent the past six months, before returning to Dublin. She had brought the cat with her because she had grown to love it so much and she did not want to leave it in Germany.

‘I presumed it would be okay. Lots of people bring in cats and dogs,’ she said.

‘I know that it couldn’t have any diseases because I love my cat so much I don’t allow it to mix with other animals. I kept it in my apartment