A man has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to 37 dogs after they were found tightly chained to outhouses and sheds without access to clean drinking water or basic care.

Three of the animals - two dogs and a puppy - were already dead by the time ISPCA animal Welfare Officers raided the man's farm in May 2017.

In a statement, the ISPCA said the dogs, mostly collies, were flea-ridden and weak and lethargic due to lack of basic care.

The man pleaded guilty to a number of offences at Kilmallock District Court on Tuesday and was convicted and fined.

The ISPCA said he was handed a €1,150 fine and was ordered to pay a further €1,000 towards the cost of the ISPCA investigation.

He was restricted form keeping dogs for a period of 18 months under the Animal Health and Welfare Act.

A dog found chained on a farm. Image: ISPCA

ISPCA Senior Inspector Lisa O'Donovan said "failure to uphold the basic level of care of these animals is just not acceptable."

"The sheer number of them and the way they were grossly neglected was deplorable," she said.

"These dogs suffered greatly and it was shocking to see three of these animals had already died.

"We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture for alerting us to this case and for bringing this prosecution.”

A dog found chained on a farm. Image: ISPCA

The man's solicitor told the court that the dogs were brought to his property by another man who had chained them up and told him to leave them that way.

The man claims the dogs were chained there for two weeks.