Leitrim county veterinary officer James Madden described it as an "extreme case" of dog hoarding and said the woman was breeding some of the animals, but also appeared to be taking in other abandoned animals at the property.
Reputable breeders are against such cross-breeding for fear it will tar them with the same brush and lead to laws that outlaws breeding of any kind of fighting dog.
She said the approach of the Home Office to tackling antisocial behaviour was "too simplistic" and failed to reflect the impact poor breeding and training by irresponsible owners can have on a dog's behaviour.
According to researchers, while many modern pets may look like those depicted in ancient Egyptian tombs or Roman mosaics, extensive cross-breeding through thousands of years has meant that no modern dog breeds can be truly classified as "ancient".