Northern Ireland

USPCA call for establishment of animals abusers register following 'particularly sad and shocking case'

The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council
The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council

CALLS have been made for an 'animal abusers register' after a court case this week in which a woman avoided jail for keeping pets in overcrowded and filthy conditions.

The USPCA urged the establishment of the register in the aftermath of a "particularly sad and shocking case of animal cruelty".

North Belfast woman Phyllis Burns was convicted of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, and a further 14 of failing to ensure their needs were met.

The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Ms Burns, which shows the conditions in which the animals were living.

Belfast City Council officers, who visited her home at Rosapenna Walk on October 2, 2017 to carry out checks, heard barking and detected a strong smell of urine coming from inside the property.

It was found she had rooms full of dogs, exotic birds, snakes and other reptiles who were in a severely dehydrated state.

The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council
The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council The Irish News has obtained images from inside the home of Phyllis Burns, where countless animals were found to be living in inhumane conditions. Pictures by Belfast city council

An African grey parrot was found to be nearly bald while a tortoise could only drag its legs due to muscle wastage.

The charges involved six corn snakes, seven bearded dragon lizards, three tortoises, 12 chihuahuas. eight hamsters, five parrots and two love birds, amongst others.

This week, Belfast Magistrates Court heard how the stairs in the house were covered in faeces while no food or water was available for the animals.

Many of the creatures were found to be living in dirty cages stacked on top of one another.

The court heard Ms Burns had mental health issues and had been motivated by the fact that the animals were due to be put down and "took them in to avoid that that".

Ms Burns, of unknown age, received a seven-month suspended sentence and was banned from keeping any species for 15 years.

Brendan Mullan, chief executive of the USPCA, described it as a "particularly sad and shocking case of animal cruelty".

"I would commend the city council animal welfare officers for bringing it before the courts," he said.

"The seven month suspended prison sentence and 15 year ban from keeping animals sends a clear message that even in extenuating circumstances, animal cruelty can and will not be tolerated."

However, Mr Mullan said more needed to be done, adding that the USPCA "remains concerned at the ineffectiveness of bans from keeping animals, as evidenced by previous court cases, where individuals who had been banned from keeping animals were up in court again for animal welfare offences".

"Banned one day and owning and abusing animals the next," he added.

"In response, the USPCA is calling for the establishment of an animal abusers register. The register to be accessible by reputable breeders and animal re-homing charities.

"Such a register may not completely solve the problem, but it would be a significant step to closing the current loophole. As it stands, the ultimate penalty for the most serious animal welfare offences, is relatively ineffective".