At least three puppies have died within weeks of being purchased from a large-scale licensed puppy farm in County Cavan, Ireland, in the last six months, with two families speaking out about their devastating experiences.
The puppies, all cavapoos, died shortly after being brought home, with owners reporting significant health issues and the farm offering replacements rather than addressing underlying problems.
One of the deceased puppies, named Frankie, died just two days after being purchased earlier this month. The attending veterinarian suspected congenital issues and prolonged dehydration. According to Olivia Thornton, Frankie's owner's daughter, the farm continued to advertise new puppies for sale on its website within hours of Frankie's death. Thornton stated that when her mother informed the farm of the puppy's death, she was offered a replacement, an offer she found to be akin to replacing a pair of shoes.
Another puppy, Millie, purchased in March, was reportedly blind and suffering from severe congenital abnormalities. The vet determined Millie was younger than advertised and initiated aggressive treatment, but the puppy ultimately had to be euthanized less than 48 hours after purchase. The farm, operating as Lakeview Pets and Five Star Paws, reportedly offered a new puppy and asked when the owner could collect it.
Both operations are licensed to breed up to 300 puppies annually and are registered with the Department of Agriculture's list of approved breeders. The farm has faced past scrutiny, including being fined for planning offenses and receiving improvement notices for breaches of animal welfare legislation. It was previously exposed by BBC's Panorama for alleged industrial-scale breeding practices.
Raymond Cullivan Jr., listed as director of Five Star Paws, reportedly had profits of nearly $500,000 for the year ending February 2025. His sister, Lauren Cullivan, whose company Pets4You recorded net assets of nearly €100,000 at the end of 2024, is also involved in the operation. Raymond Cullivan has reportedly issued legal threats to one of the families over public statements made about their experience.
A veterinary report from March indicated that a puppy named Daisy, purchased in February, suffered from fading puppy syndrome, had not received full vaccinations, and had incomplete worming treatment. The vet's findings were based on diagnostic results and the rapid progression of the illness. Despite the diagnosis, Raymond Cullivan reportedly offered a refund and partial payment of veterinary bills without admitting liability, stating the puppy was deemed healthy at the time of sale.
Local authorities have previously issued improvement notices for issues such as non-microchipped dogs and non-compliance with buyer identity checks. In 2020, the operators were found to be non-compliant with record-keeping and notification of sale requirements under the Dog Breeding Establishment Act. Despite these issues and calls for closure, the farm has continued to breed and advertise various mixed breeds. The Department of Agriculture states that all registered breeding establishments undergo annual inspections and additional unannounced inspections are carried out.