19-05-2025
Arrest warrant issued for man ‘too hungover' to search for his missing XL Bully
Vernon Carroll, of Ross Cross, Tara, Co Meath failed to appear to face numerous charges
The owner of a missing XL bully dog who told the dog warden he was too hungover to search for it had a warrant issued for his arrest at Navan district court last week.
Vernon Carroll, of Ross Cross, Tara, Co Meath failed to appear to face numerous charges under the control of dog act (1986).
Meath dog warden, Alan Nolan, told the court that on 23rd July 2024 he got a call from Dunshaughlin Garda Station saying there was an XL Bully-type dog roaming the main road from Dublin to Dunshaughlin.
He and a colleague got to Ross Cross and could not locate the dog. They got a further call from the Gardai saying an XL Bully-type dog was at Skryne Church where a funeral was taking place.
The pair went up to Mr Carroll's house. Mr Nolan said he had had previous dealings with Mr Carroll's son three years previously in relation to XL Bully dogs and bulldogs there.
When they asked Mr Carroll Senior where his dogs were. He said the dogs had been missing since last night.
In evidence Nolan said, 'I asked him was he not willing to go out and look for the dog and he said he was very hungover and he had no interest in going out to look for the dogs and that the XL was not aggressive.
'I asked him to help us look for the dogs and he refused. I then issued a 10-day notice for two other pit bull dogs on the site and the XL Bully dog that was missing.
'We went up towards Skryne and met the dog on the public road, it actually was very very aggressive.
'I tried using a catchpole but it proved next to impossible to contain it.
"It had no muzzle on and any time I went near it it attacked me, it was causing traffic chaos and Gardai had to be called.
'The situation was so bad I seriously considered calling the kennels and asking someone to bring me a dart gun.
When Mr Carroll arrived the dog was even reluctant to go to him, but he eventually put a lead on it and walked it away after swearing at us a few times.
When told Carroll was a no show in court Judge Erin McKiernan issued the arrest warrant.
