Porkies in the park
Man warned by cops after posing as dog warden and issuing fines
GARDAI were called after a man posing as a dog warden began handing out bogus on-the-spot €20 fines to owners who let their pooches off the leash in a city park.
South Dublin County Council contacted officers after a member of staff spotted the man carrying out his scam in Tymon Park near Tallaght on the M50.
Emails from the council obtained under Freedom of Information legislation said: “I have been informed the park ranger came across the fake dog warden operating this morning.
“The fake warden ran off. The park ranger got a partial reg [licence plate] and has passed this information to An Garda Siochana.”
A later message
said
the county council had been able to track down the full plate for the car and that an investigation was under way.
It added: “Terenure gardai … called to the house of the man and warned him to stay away from the park or he could be up for impersonating a public official.
“As gardai didn’t receive an official complaint about money changing hands, they could not pursue on those grounds.”
In internal discussions last September, the council said it needed to get a statement out to the public on how the system operated for having dogs off leash. One email said: “There are no on the spot fines. We have contacted An Garda Siochana who will carry out patrols of the park.
“Members of the public should report any unusual activity.”
South Dublin County Council also issued a public advisory saying its staff would always carry official identification and
A WOMAN has been banned from keeping dogs for 10 years over “barbaric” cruelty.
Margaret Casey, of Derrymore, Portarlington, Co Laois, was convicted of eight charges under the Animal Health and Welfare Act at Portlaoise District Court.
The offences relate to a lurcher dog and a terrier-type puppy found during an ISPCA inspection in May 2022.
The court was told ISPCA Inspector James Mccormack discovered the black pup in a metal wire crate at the back of the house.
He said there was a cable tie attached to its tail and the pup was saturated with no protection from the elements and no resting area.
The lurcher, along with her six pups aged around six weeks, were in a pen at the bottom of the yard. Mr Mccormack said the conditions were filthy and the dog was extremely thin with her ribs very prominent.
Judge Cody ordered Casey to pay total costs of €3,863.72, comprising €2,018.72 for investigation and veterinarian fees and €1,845.00 in prosecution fees.
Inspector Mccormack said: “These dogs suffered out of pure neglect.” would be most likely travelling in an official vehicle.
It warned: “Do not hand over any money to this man and if you are approached by him, do seek help from other park users and report the incident.” However, on-the-spot fines of up to €100 can apply for “nonmuzzling, non-leashing” or leaving an under-16 person in charge of specific breeds deemed potentially dangerous including pit bulls, German shepherds, and ‘Staffies’.
Owners who are reckless with those types of dogs and who fail to pay their initial fine can be fined up to €2,500 or jailed.
Licence plate has been passed on to the gardai
COUNCIL EMAIL ON THE TALLAGHT INCIDENT