Up to 30 dogs from two Co Laois puppy farms remained in kennels yesterday at a cost of €8,000 to the ISPCA as the case against their owner was adjourned at Athy District Court.
Last month Judge Mary Martin ordered the removal of the dogs after Mr Liam Burke pleaded guilty to two charges under the Cruelty to Animals Act.
Yesterday an ISPCA inspector called for the case against Mr Burke, who has premises at Loughglass and Ballyadams, to be completed as soon as possible.
He said the costs were mounting for the ISPCA in holding the dogs.
Judge Uinsin MacGruairc said he would leave the case to Judge Mary Martin as she had heard the facts. He adjourned it to Carlow District Court on January 19th.
Judge Martin had said she would ban the defendant from owning a dog for the rest of his life.
On December 13th at Athy District Court she heard that the Loughglass farm was in an "appalling state", with 10 makeshift pens.
The court was told inspectors found a nine-week-old Labrador puppy with a large infected cut at Ballyadams during another inspection.
Mr Burke has pleaded guilty to a charge of not providing basic care for two black Labradors and one terrier and not providing adequate medical care for the pup whose wound had become infected. He has no previous convictions.
Judge Martin had ordered the defendant to pay €1,000 to cover the costs of the ISPCA investigation. She also requested that a probation report be prepared.