A farmer in Northern Ireland has been banned from owning or looking after animals following a conviction at Dungannon Court.

61-year-old Sean Doran of Finulagh Road, Castlecaulfield, Dungannon, Co, Tyrone was convicted of nine charges under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, one charge under the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) Regulations 2015 and one charge under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.

Doran was sentenced on:

Six charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal;
Three charges of failure to ensure the needs of an animal were met;
One charge of failure to dispose of animal carcasses;
One charge of failure to present medicine records when required to do so.

The farmer was sentenced and was disqualified from keeping, owning, participating in keeping animals, being party to an arrangement under which animals are kept, from transporting and arranging transport of all animals for 10 years.

He also received 18 months’ probation, 80 hours of community service and a deprivation order was granted.

Court case

The case arose following numerous welfare inspections carried out by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) officers between February 10, 2023 and April 24, 2024.

During these inspections, cattle, sheep and pigs were found to be housed in dirty housing without dry lying and exposed to hazardous material which could cause injury.

The court heard that some animals did not have access to feed and water and others had access to contaminated feed and water.

Calves and lambs were identified in a poor state of health and one calf was euthanised by the veterinary officer present, as in their opinion, they were suffering unnecessarily.

A number of carcasses, bones, skulls and skeletons were observed during the inspections.

Doran was convicted of six charges of by reason of an act or failure to act by him causing unnecessary suffering to a bovine animal and he knew or ought reasonably to have known that the said act or failure to act would have that effect or was likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

The farmer was also convicted of three charges of failure to take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure the needs of an animal for which they were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice.

He was further convicted of one charge of failure to comply with an animal by-product requirement in that he failed to hold bodies or parts of bodies of farmed animals which had not been slaughtered for human consumption, pending consignment or disposal, in accordance with the EU Control Regulation, in such a manner as to ensure that any animal or bird would not have access to it or them.

Doran was convicted of one charge of failure to produce of medicine record when required to do so, contrary to Regulation 43 of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.

Animal welfare

DAERA has stated that it gives high priority to the welfare of animals and operates a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements.

Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary.

It stressed that it would be good practice (as well as being a legal requirement), to remove without delay an animal carcass from a farm to prevent spread of disease and protect public health and avoid detrimental effects on the environment.

The improper use of medicines in animals presents a risk to human health, the department also stressed.

This is of particular relevance when it comes to observing withdrawal times of medicines administered to animals which are subsequently slaughtered for human consumption.

The main areas for concern are:

The slaughter for human consumption of an animal before the recommended withdrawal period has been observed for drugs which may themselves have direct side effects in humans;
The slaughter of animals entering the food chain containing a drug to which human pathogens are capable of developing a resistance which may reduce the effectiveness with which human diseases can be controlled by a drug.

If proper medicine records are not kept, there is a risk of animals which have been treated, but whose withdrawal periods have not been observed being slaughtered for human consumption, or sold on to another herd from which they will be slaughtered for human consumption without withdrawal times being observed.