Ukrainian dog breeder Vasyl Fedoryn jailed for animal welfare breaches in Co Cork
On 21 April 2023, ISPCA inspectors found dogs in two sheds at the home of Vasyl Fedoryn, 41, a Ukrainian man with Irish citizenship from Ballypierce, Charleville, Co Cork, kept in the dark with no bedding, no water, and forced to lie in their own faeces. Fedoryn pleaded guilty at Mallow District Court to nine breaches of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. In April 2025, Judge Colm Roberts sentenced him to five months in jail with two months suspended (reported as three months in jail), fined him €500, ordered him to pay €16,450 in rehoming costs to the ISPCA and €3,000 in legal costs, and disqualified him from keeping any animal for 15 years. The court noted he had no previous convictions but had breached a prior undertaking not to keep animals by still having cats on his property.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced1 Apr
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Dogs were found in two sheds kept in the dark with no bedding, no water, and forced to lie in their own faeces, with matted coats and feral behaviour.
- A Shepherd bitch and four pups were in one shed with no water, while three German Shepherd pups and five Collie pups were in another shed with no light, no bedding, and matted coats.
- Where
- The dogs were being bred at Fedoryn's home in Ballypierce, Charleville, Co Cork.
- When
- The dogs were found in poor conditions on 21 April 2023.
- Charges
- Fedoryn pleaded guilty to nine breaches of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
- In court
- The case was heard at Mallow District Court.
- Sentence
- He was sentenced to five months in jail with two months suspended (reported as three months in jail), fined €500, ordered to pay €16,450 in rehoming costs to the ISPCA and €3,000 in legal costs, and disqualified from owning or keeping any animal for 15 years.
- Other details
- He had no previous convictions but had breached a prior court undertaking not to keep animals by still having cats on his property.
- Judge Colm Roberts described the neglect as absolutely appalling.
- The offending stemmed from Fedoryn working long hours with a local plant hire firm, and the probation report noted he sought to minimise the harm with very little insight into his offending.
17 statements extracted from the articles
- whatVasyl Fedoryn, 41, is a Ukrainian with Irish citizenship from Ballypierce, Charleville, Co Cork (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe animals were kept in the dark with no bedding and forced to lay in their own faeces (irishtimes.com)
- whatA German Shepherd bitch and four pups were found in one shed with no water (irishtimes.com)
- whatThree German Shepherd pups and five Collie pups were in another shed with no light, no bedding, and matted coats (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe Collies were so nervous from lack of stimulation that they were feral and tried to bite the inspector (irishtimes.com)
- whatFedoryn breached a court undertaking not to keep any animals by still having cats on his property (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe probation report revealed he sought to minimise the harm and had very little insight into his offending (irishtimes.com)
- whatJudge Colm Roberts described the neglect as absolutely appalling (irishtimes.com)
- whatFedoryn had no previous convictions (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe offending stemmed from Fedoryn working long hours with a local plant hire firm (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe dogs were being bred at his home on 21 April 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to nine breaches of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to five months in jail with two months suspended (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was fined €500 (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was ordered to pay €16,450 in rehoming costs to the ISPCA (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was ordered to pay €3,000 in legal costs to the department (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was disqualified from owning or keeping any animal for 15 years (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Apr2025Dog breeder jailed and ordered to pay almost €20,000 over his ‘appalling’ neglect of animals
Sentencing article. Fedoryn was also disqualified from owning or keeping any animal for 15 years. The court noted he had breached a prior undertaking not to keep animals by still having cats on his property.
convicted, Vasyl Fedoryn, 41, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVasyl Fedoryn