CONVICTED (2023) | puppy farmers / traffickers Tom Paul Mongan, born c. 1995, of 4 Mill Pond Glen, Poleglass, Dunmurry, Belfast BT17 0XX, and William Joseph Mongan, aka William Ward, born 9 October 1983, of 6 Ardcaoin Grove, Poleglass, Dunmurry, Belfast BT17 0US
Notorious puppy farmer/trafficker Tom Mongan, who in May 2023 was convicted for similar charges in Northern Ireland, and brother William Mongan, sold dogs online from rented Airbnb properties across Glasgow.
The dogs were found in poor shape and were discovered living in unsanitary conditions by SSPCA inspectors.
Some of the 11 pets the pair were responsible for were later put down due to ill health.
Tom Mongan pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to three charges of causing unnecessary suffering while William Mongan admitted two charges.
The charges spanned between December 2020 and February 2021.
The brothers – who are of the Irish traveller community – were sentenced to nine months in jail each by Sheriff Mark McGuire.
He said: “Each of you pled guilty to what can be described as animal cruelty on 11 separate dogs.
“What I heard is what the public would know as puppy farming.
“It must have been obvious the dogs were unwell and the conditions they were kept in was poor – you took no steps to get help for these animals.
“The motivation was for financial gain – each dog was priced at over £1,000.
“It was clearly greed and it brought unimaginable misery to those who unfortunately bought them.
“I am satisfied there is no other appropriate sentence than custody.”
Despite facing prosecution for similar offences in Northern Ireland, Tom Mongan went on to rent out a number of Airbnb properties in Glasgow for the purposes of selling more dogs.
He advertised a springer spaniel puppy on website PetsForHomes which was answered by a man.
He met Tom at an address and was shown a vaccination card for the puppy who was lying on a couch.
He paid Tom £1,600 in separate transactions to purchase the puppy later named Bella.
Tom contacted the man the following day to ask when he would pick up the dog.
Prosecutor Gail Campbell said: “[The man] told him that they picked up the puppy and was then blocked by Tom Mongan on the website.”
The man also noticed that the puppy had diarrhoea and was lethargic with parvovirus suspected by a vet.
The decision was made to euthanize Bella days later due to her ill health.
Ms Campbell added: “The vet thought that the dog was caused unnecessary suffering.
“[The man] contacted Tom Mongan on Facebook to tell him the puppy had died but he blocked him.”
A woman purchased a Pomeranian puppy from Tom in similar circumstances which was named Abbie.
The dog vomited and also had diarrhoea which included live worms.
Abbie was taken to the vet where she was noted to have done the toilet on herself and could stand on her own.
Abbie was also euthanized with a post mortem finding that she suffered from parvovirus.
A man and woman purchased a Beagle later named Freya from Tom.
She was later noted to have no appetite, vomited and had diarrhoea. Freya also passed away from her condition.
The woman contacted Tom but received no reply.
SSPCA inspectors and police raised of the addresses on January 28 2021 and found Tom Mongan, William Mongan and eight puppies within.
A spaniel puppy was noted to be “distressed”, as well as lethargic and could not lift her head.
Another spaniel puppy and a Pomeranian were also found to be in a “visibly poor condition.”
A puddle of clear yellow fluid, believed to be diarrhoea was found on the floor of one of the bedrooms.
The puppies were seized and only four of them were linked to microchips.
A vet stated that all the puppies were in poor condition and should have received veterinary care. One of the dogs was put down.
Over a week later, William Mongan was visited by the SSPCA who received information beagle puppies were being sold.
Four puppies were found inside including a beagle puppy who was in a poor condition.
A border collie described as being “extremely unwell” was noted to be lying in her own urine and faeces.
William threatened legal action on one of the SSPCA inspectors who seized the puppies
Ms Campbell added: “The inspector has not been contacted by a lawyer.”
Atlanta Jack, defending Tom, told the sentencing her client was involved for financial gain.
The lawyer added: “He expresses his regret for the people who purchased the puppies and he is apologetic for the upset and inconvenience caused.”
Patrick Brechany, defending William, stated his client is a gardener by trade who is “remorseful and “regretful.”
Mr Brechany denied that William was a “puppy farmer” but sold dogs who were puppy farmed.
Sheriff McGuire banned the two men, of Belfast, from keeping animals for ten years.
Sentencing | nine-month custodial; 10-year ban applicable to all animals.
In April 2023 Irish newspaper Sunday World published an article on “convicted fraudster” William Mongan in which they described how neighbours of the vile Mongans had to take action to stop newborn puppies bred by the family from dying. The article revealed how people living in the same street as William Mongan had been going into his back yard to feed two very young cocker spaniel puppies he had left in a shed. Concerned neighbours told the Sunday World reporter how the puppies cried 24 hours a day for food and attention.
“He dropped the puppies off … and he left and has only been seen back once since then and even then he didn’t get out of his van,” said one concerned neighbour.
“He doesn’t live here very much and he hasn’t been seen much but nobody can understand why he’d abandon two vulnerable young puppies like this in his yard.
“The poor things have been whining constantly because he didn’t leave any food for them. They are far too young to be away from their mother.
“It’s maybe hard to understand how distressing it is to have to listen to young puppies crying 24 hours a day because they are starving and missing their mum.
“Loads of neighbours have complained to Belfast City Council’s animal welfare department as well as the USPCA but nobody seems to be doing anything.”
Truly repulsive men and their partners seem no better. Great lumps of liars,wallowing in a life built on exploitation of animals and people.
But, why would you hand money over to apes like this for a puppy ? Every alarm bell in your head would be ringing . When people stop buying these scum will have to find some other criminal means of making money.