Animals left lame, disease-ridden and emaciated

A farmer from Hollymount who left over 360 sheep in what were described as ‘horrific’ conditions has received a suspended sentence.

Michael Crishel, of Lecarrow, Hollymount, pleaded guilty to 20 offences relating to the neglect of animals when he appeared before Castlebar District Court.

The court heard details of sheep that were left lame, disease-ridden and emaciated as a result of Mr Crishel’s failure to provide them with enough food at rented land in Headford.

The 61 year old also pleaded guilty to charges of failing to dispose of animal carcasses and causing the unnecessary suffering of animals.

On one occasion, Department of Agriculture inspectors who visited his farm found the skeletal remains of a sheep who got caught in a fence and were unable to free themselves.

The court heard that the sheep were living in such poor conditions that over 300 animals were seized by the Department of Agriculture on foot of an emergency seizure order. Five sheep died following the seizure while the rest were subsequently sold off.

In addition to being banned from keeping sheep for at least five years, Mr Crishel has been given until May 1 to sell all of his remaining sheep.

Mr Crishel, who cares for his terminally ill wife, argued that this would have a detrimental effect on his income.

Judge Vincent Deane, who also imposed three four-month custodial sentences suspended for two years, told Mr Crishel that he was being ‘extremely lenient’ given the seriousness of the offences.

Suffering

AT 12.30pm on November 17, 2022, David Cosgrave, an employee with the Department of Agriculture, attended land in Annaghkeen, Headford after receiving a complaint from the animal-welfare hotline.

Mr Cosgrave called for assistance after he discovered over 300 sheep on the land, including 27 carcasses.

The carcasses were in various different stages of decomposition, ranging from skeletal, to fresh to partially decomposed, while others had been disturbed by wildlife.

Mr Cosgrave’s colleague, Aoife Mulherin, an inspector with the Department of Agriculture, told the court that the grass had been ‘eaten right down’ and that there was no evidence of supplementary feeding.

A number of sheep were experiencing various medical conditions. One sheep had a secondary bacterial condition and had contracted a viral condition called orf, which had developed to such an extent that sores had spread all over its face.

Many of the animals appeared to be suffering, including one sheep that was seizing because of a brain infection or end stage hypoglycaemia.

Two sheep were experiencing listeriosis, which caused them to circle to one side.

The rest of the sheep were described as ‘lethargic’ and ‘not very alert’.

Twenty percent of the sheep were lame while there was widespread incident of diarrhoea.

A number of sheep had also had fleece loss to the degree that it revealed their emaciated physical state.

Follow-up calls

AFTER establishing that Mr Crishel was the owner following local inquiries, Mr Cosgrave called him and told him to attend the animals due to ‘very serious’ concerns for their welfare.

Mr Crishel told him that he was too busy at the time and would call to collect the carcasses in the evening.

Ms Mulherin and Mr Cosgrave later met Mr Crishel at his home farm in Hollymount, where he said he had been ‘under pressure and overwhelmed’ and had a lot of animals to look after at home.

Mr Crishel was then served with a legal letter stipulating that his animals receive veterinary attention and, if necessary, euthanasia and that he remove the carcasses.

The sheep were also provided with mineral licks and supplementary feeding the next day.

During a follow-up visit on January 1, 2023, Mr Cosgrave detected ‘no major incidents’, noting that the carcasses had been removed and that there was sufficient grass.

Mr Cosgrave, Ms Mulherin and authorised officer Mary Keane visited the farm in Annaghkeen again on March 10, 2023, after a colleague in Galway County Council received a complaint from a member of the public regarding dead sheep on the land.

On this occasion, the grass was described as ‘very, very bare’ while an even more of the animals were experiencing lameness.

Carcasses were spread out across land near Annaghkeen peer, including the skeletal remains of a sheep who got its head caught in a fence and was unable to free itself.

Another animal was tangled up in silage wrapping, while the remains of a sheep’s skull were also discovered.

Several sheep had lost wool and were lethargic from lack of food.

Mr Cosgrave, Ms Mulherin and Ms Keane discussed the level of risk to the animals before deciding to order an emergency seizure of 363 sheep.

Animals seized

ON March 14, eight officers from the regional veterinarian office and a garda from Headford Garda station attended the seizure.

The sheep were then removed to a premises outside the county. Other sheep, who were living in a shed that was described as ‘dirty’, did not meet the criteria for seizure and were left behind.

The seized animals were seen by a private veterinarian, who treated all of them for parasites, two for pneumonia and 70 for lameness. Five sheep, who weighed approximately 20 kilogrammes each, died after leaving the premises.

Mr Crishel subsequently received a notice regarding the seizure.

The seizure cost €17,113.73, including €4,700 for haulage, €700 for veterinarian fees, €1,300 for auctioneers’ fees.

The animals fetched a total of €12,800 at sale, €4,261 of which had yet to be recouped.

Ms Mulherin said that the Department of Agriculture wished that Mr Crishel be banned outright from owning sheep.

The department also objected to a cap being placed on the number of sheep he could keep due to the difficulty in policing sheep ownership. There was no objection to Mr Crishel being allowed to continue owning cattle.

‘A disgrace’

HIS solicitor, Gary Mulchrone, admitted that his client was farming ‘beyond his capabilities’ and indicated that the landowner in Headford wanted to terminate his lease.

Mr Mulchrone said that what his client did was ‘a disgrace’ and ‘out of character’ for him.

The court heard that Mr Crishel owns 52 acres of land in Hollymount. He has reduced the number of sheep he currently owns to approximately 500, which Mr Mulcrhone described as ‘much more manageable’ for him. He had not come to the attention of the Department of Agriculture prior to these offences.

Addressing the court, Mr Crishel said that his care for the sheep had ‘got out of hand’ after his wife contracted terminal cancer.

Mr Crishel disputed the number of lame sheep he had, saying that only ‘a few of them’ were suffering lameness.

He said that he had applied urea fertiliser to the land a month before the sheep were confiscated, adding that they had been given supplementary feeding from buckets throughout the winter.

He added that more than five sheep would have died if his animals were that badly treated prior to them being seized.

Mr Crishel said he would have no income if he were banned from owning sheep, as his wife is unable to work due to her illness.

Self-serving testimony

JUDGE Vincent Deane described his testimony as ‘self-serving’ and warned that a custodial sentence would be appropriate for an offence of this nature.

“Farmers in Mayo have a long and proud tradition of animal welfare and treating their animals [well]. This reflects very badly,” Judge Deane stated.

Mr Mulchrone argued that a custodial sentence would not serve any good and asked Judge Deane to impose a cap on the number of sheep his client could own.

“This isn’t somebody who has been on the radar a long time, ducking and diving, neglecting his duties. He has a reputation of looking after good quality sheep,” said Mr Mulchrone.

Judge Deane imposed three four-month sentences suspended for a period of two years for the various offences.

He also imposed a Section 58 order banning Mr Crishel from owning sheep for at least five years. This condition would be attached to his bail bond for a period of two years.

Mr Crishel was also ordered to sell his remaining sheep by May 1 and to pay back money owed to the Department of Agriculture for the cost of seizing and selling the sheep.