Permission granted for controversial 350-dog farm at Poles

Puppy farm protestors have vowed to fight the decision by Cavan County Council to facilitate a dog breeding establishment in the Poles area of Cavan Town and are building up a war chest to oppose it.

The planning department of the local authority has just granted permission to Raymond Cullivan to retain existing agricultural buildings, some for dog breeding, at Corfreehone, Poles.

The permission also provides for the conversion of other buildings and stables to be used for dog breeding, up to a MAXIMUM of 350 dogs (male and female combined). A total of 23 conditions are attached to the planning permission including the payment of almost €29,000 in development levies.

In a statement released in the past few minutes, Cavan County Council say: 'The planning authority has come to its decision following a request for further information on the 13/09/2016, and, on the basis of information submitted, determined that the development is in accordance with the 2014-2020 County Development Plan and the property planning and sustainable development of the area. The Planning Authority can only base its decisions on the aforementioned criteria.'

Animal advocacy group ‘Pups Not Profit’ have already raised close to €3,000 of their €5,000 target “to instruct legal experts” to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

Mr Cullivan lodged the plans last July and also supplied significant further information to the local authority in relation to the application in January of this year.
The application has, however, attracted a significant number of submissions, many outright objections, including some from groups backed by named TDs, Irish celebrities and animal welfare charities.
In a submission headed by members of the ‘Independents 4 Change’ Dáil grouping and others, they inform the council that, in circumstances where permission is granted without guidance from Statutory bodies, they too intend to appeal to the planning appeals board.
“In light of the significant public interest in terms of public and animal health and threat to the environment, we will request an oral hearing and intend to call international environmental experts to appear on our behalf at the hearing,” the submission states.
Among their other submissions to the local authority, the Dáil group states that their objections are based primarily on proper planning, public health, environmental and ecological grounds. “Our objections based on animal welfare grounds, specifically, breaches of various animal welfare legislation are also highly relevant.”
The Cullivans have, at all times, denied any wrong doing; stating that they are a regulated dog breeding establishment and that the dogs are well cared for.

An improvement notice served by the council last year was complied with.

In an extensive 146-page document in relation to the planning application, responding to ‘further information’ requested, the Cullivans confirm that the facility is for 350 dogs to be kept at the site.
They also give an assurance that the facility is fully in compliance with the latest dog breeding regulations.
They included a report from consultant ecologist, Noreen McLoughlin.
She concluded that there was “no potential for negative impacts” on flora, fauna or species, from the development on its own or in combination with other plans and projects.
She notes that, at its closest point, the farm is 6.4km south east of the Lough Oughter SAC and 8.8Km east of the Lough Oughter SPA.

The controversy surrounding the Cullivan enterprise erupted last May after it featured on a BBC Panorama documentary.