PHYLLIS BURNS OF BELFAST SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AND NEGLECT

Phyllis Burns, whose residence is listed as Rosapenna Walk in Belfast, has been the subject of serious criminal proceedings related to animal cruelty and neglect. Her case, which spans several years, highlights the ongoing issues of animal welfare violations in the city.

In 2019, Burns was convicted of failing to seek veterinary treatment for a pony that had sustained a broken leg. The incident came to light after authorities from the Animal Welfare service responded to a distress call at a livery yard located on Colinglen Road in Dunmurry, a suburb of Belfast. Upon inspection, they discovered a pony suffering from a broken leg, which had apparently been untreated for some time. The veterinary assessment confirmed that the injury was old and that the dressing applied was not performed by a qualified veterinarian. The vet's report was unequivocal: the pony had been left to suffer without proper care for an extended period.

Following this discovery, Burns was charged under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. Her sentencing included a five-month prison sentence suspended for a period, along with an order to pay costs totaling £600. Most notably, she was banned from keeping or being involved with any animals for a decade, a penalty intended to prevent further neglect.

Further investigations and prosecutions revealed a disturbing pattern of animal cruelty. In December 2020, Belfast City Council brought additional charges against Burns, leading to her conviction on five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and fourteen counts of neglecting their basic needs. The authorities had previously visited her residence on October 2, 2017, where they detected a strong smell of urine and heard barking emanating from inside. Inside her home, officers found a deplorable scene: rooms filled with animals including dogs, exotic birds, snakes, and other reptiles, all in a severely dehydrated state.

Among the animals rescued were six corn snakes, seven bearded dragon lizards, three tortoises, twelve chihuahuas, eight hamsters, five parrots, and two lovebirds, among others. Many of these creatures were kept in filthy cages, often stacked on top of each other, with no access to food or water. The conditions of the house were appalling, with stairs covered in feces and no proper provisions for the animals' care. One of the parrots, an African grey, was nearly bald, and a tortoise was only able to drag its legs due to muscle wastage. The court heard that Burns, who reportedly struggled with mental health issues, admitted that her motivation for taking in the animals was to prevent them from being euthanized, as they were scheduled to be put down.

As a result of these findings, Burns received a seven-month suspended sentence and was banned from keeping any animals for a period of fifteen years. Her case underscores the importance of animal welfare laws and the need for vigilance in protecting vulnerable creatures from neglect and cruelty in Belfast and beyond.