Former manager of a Dublin dog pound fined

By Jessica Magee and Sonya McLean

The former manager of a Dublin dog pound has been fined €500 for allowing a euthanasia drug to be stored and administered unlawfully to two dogs.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Donal Moroney was not present at Ashton Pound in Castleknock over the weekend of July 24, 2020 when a drug called Dolethal was administered orally to a Bichon Frise and an Akita.

The lethal medicine, containing Pentobarbital Sodium, is only allowed to be stored at a veterinary practice and to be administered intravenously by a vet.

Donal Moroney, of Ayrfield Drive, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to three counts of using the pound for storing an animal remedy designated “Veterinary Practitioner Only”, possessing the remedy while not a vet himself and permitting a lay person to administer it orally to two dogs.

Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said staff at the pound did not have the experience or qualifications to store or administer the drug in question, but described Moroney’s level of culpability as “quite low”.

Judge Nolan took into account mitigating factors including Moroney’s guilty plea, his cooperation with gardaí, his long history of good work with animals and his serious health problems.

Moroney, who has no previous convictions, was ordered to pay a fine of €500 within the next three months.

The former owner of the pound, David Stone, was fined €30,000 in February 2023 for three similar charges.

Stone (66), of Hazelbrook, Loughlinstown, Ratoath, Co Meath had been running the pound since 1996 and had contracts with local councils including Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown county councils.

Moroney started working at the pound as a warden in 2004 and became a manager shortly afterwards, the court heard.

Garda Áine McQuillan told Paul Carroll SC, prosecuting, that a warden at the pound emailed gardaí in July 2020 outlining his concerns about the giving of certain drugs to dogs.

Gardaí called to the premises and established that staff members had administered the product Dolethal to two dogs on Friday July 24, 2020, by squirting it into their food.

The Bichon Frise dog died the following day, while gardaí found the Akita in a “bad state” and suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea, before he also died.

Mr Carroll told the court that a practice had developed at the pound where staff would collect bottles of this highly lethal product and squirt it into the food of dogs deemed to be violent, aggressive or to be put down.

Gda McQuillan interjected to tell the court that the drug was also sometimes squirted into dogs’ mouths.

A vet would then be called sometime later and administer it properly.

Payment records collected from the veterinary practice indicated that this had been going on for up to a year prior to these offences.

The court heard that there was nothing to suggest that Moroney had administered the drug directly himself, but that he was in a management position which had informed the practice and had on occasion directed others to collect the drug.

The bottles of Dolethal were clearly labelled “Veterinary Practitioner Only,” the court heard.

The drug is extremely dangerous to humans also and an accidental spillage of as little as 3 cc on the skin could lead to death, counsel said.

Moroney told gardaí he was not working the night the drugs were administered to the dogs.

Garda McQuillan agreed with Annemarie Farrell SC, defending Moroney, that the practice of making these drugs available at the pound pre-dated Moroney joining the staff in 2004.

Ms Farrell said that when Moroney started work, the euthanasia rate at the pound was over 50 per cent and that this had been reduced to four per cent, in line with national levels, by 2019.

The court heard that Moroney did not attend the pound after March 2020 because of Covid as he had extensive health problems.

In 1989, Moroney had part of his right lung removed, and he suffered five heart attacks between 2000 and 2001.

He also underwent a triple heart bypass and suffered several pulmonary embolisms and an aortic aneurism, the court heard.

Counsel said the court case had caused “enormous shame” to Moroney who had dedicated his entire life to the care of animals.

Several testimonials were handed in to court on Moroney’s behalf, speaking to his exemplary character in the community and his lifelong love of animals.

The court heard that Moroney is currently in receipt of the State pension of €277 per week.