Prosecutions

6-Jul-21

Latrobe Valley (online)

The case involved a dog who had suffered injuries to her throat, neck and front legs. The accused wiped the dog with a wet cloth, then asked her friends to take the dog to kennels at Traralgon. On arrival, one of her friends stitched the dog’s wounds with a needle and nylon thread. No pain relief or veterinary treatment was given. The following day the accused stated she checked on the dog and found her to be eating, walking and toileting normally. Later that night, a third party was at the kennels and observed the dog to be recumbent and motionless, and rushed her to the veterinarian. The vet found the dog was suffering from septicaemia due to infected wounds. The accused attended and was told the dog was in critical condition, and her prognosis was very poor. The accused opted for euthanasia.

The accused was fined $500 without conviction and costs of $85.70 were ordered.

8-Jul-21

Ringwood (online)

The case involved a male Golden Retriever known as ‘Cookie’ who had lost use of all four limbs and was unable to walk. The accused contacted South Eastern Animal Hospital and made an appointment for the dog to see the vet and described the condition of the dog to veterinary staff who advised the accused that the animal required vet treatment that day. The accused stated he was too busy to attend on the same day.

Cookie was heard by a witness barking in a low tone in the backyard of the premises throughout the night. The accused cancelled the veterinary appointment due to taking overtime at work.

The dog was detected by a witness recumbent in the backyard letting out low monotone barks which indicated to the witness the dog was distressed.

Again, Cookie was witnessed in the same position recumbent in the backyard, indicating he had not moved for three days. The matter was then reported to RSPCA.

Cookie was found to be paralysed and was suffering a lot of pain and discomfort. The prognosis was very poor of making a recovery or experiencing anything but a poor quality of life, and the dog was humanely euthanised.

The accused was fined $500.00 without conviction and a s12 disqualification order was made against any animal ownership for five years, save for his current dog.

27-Jul-21

Benalla (online)

The accused was the owner and person in charge of multiple animals housed at the premises, including nine dogs, a pig and two ferrets. The RSPCA received a report of dogs which were tethered outside at the premises without access to water. The Bureau of Meteorology temperature for that date and location was a high of 39 degrees Celsius. A search of the RSPCA database revealed that RSPCA Inspectors had visited the property on four separate occasions in 2018, when a copy of the Code of Practice for the Tethering of Dogs had been provided to the accused and his partner.

The RSPCA Inspector observed the animals housed in filthy conditions. All nine dogs were tethered, four of the dogs had no access to water and five had inadequate water. The pig similarly had no access to water. The Inspector was unable to find a water outlet on the premises and went to the neighbours to fill a bucket of water. She provided water to the dogs and the pig, who all drank readily and continually for several minutes.

The accused was fined $500.00 without conviction and a s12 disqualification order was handed down against ownership of dogs except for the six dogs that he currently owns.

4-Jun-21

Shepparton (online)

The case involveda tan and white American Staffordshire type dog ‘Buddy’, a Jack Russell type dog ‘Boo Boo’ and four medium-haired cats. The Staffy was kept in the rear yard with no shelter and a heavy build-up of faeces. The remaining animals were locked in the garage. The conditions inside the garage were squalid with a heavy build-up of faeces and urine covering the entire floor. Boo Boo appeared to have a severe skin condition that had inflamed the skin. All six animals were seized and transported to RSPCA.

The Magistrate placed the accused on a Good Behaviour Bond for 12 months without conviction, and awarded costs in the sum of $700.00. The ownership of animals was also granted to RSPCA.

15-Jun-21

Werribee (online)

This case involved an underweight Old English Sheepdog who was taken to a veterinary clinic in Werribee. On examination it was noted that the coat was severely matted, and that thousands of grass seeds were embedded throughout the coat. Around the paws, the seeds had penetrated the skin and embedded in the flesh, causing swelling and lesions. Maggots were also present in the lesions, feeding off the flesh.

The dog was surrendered and transferred to RSPCA’s vet clinic where grass seeds were removed from the coat, ears, ear canals, leg, paws and the prepuce of his penis.

The dog was placed on an adequate nutritious diet suitable for his needs and given anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medications to assist with the healing process. Further grass seeds worked their way out of his body over the next few weeks, and the lesions in the paws fully healed with continued treatment after several months. Within five weeks the dog had gained an ideal weight and body condition, and over several months the lesions in his paws healed.

The accused and co-accused were placed on a diversion plan. The conditions were that both be of good behaviour for 12 months, that neither be the owner of a dog for a period of five years and that a donation of $2,500 be made to the RSPCA.

16-Jun-21

Latrobe Valley (online)

The accused and co-accused were the owners and persons in charge of two Bloodhound type dogs. The dogs were not provided with a sufficient quantity of food, and subsequently both dogs lost a significant amount of weight.

Both dogs were graded a body condition score of 1 out of 5 (being emaciated). One dog also had an internal parasite infestation as well as a mild ear infection.

The Magistrate fined both accused $800.00 without conviction and awarded costs in the sum of $385.81 per person. The Magistrate also granted the s12 disqualification order for five years against ownership of all animals except for the two cats and one dog that they currently own.

17-Jun-21

Werribee (online)

The case involved a two–three month-old Boxer type puppy named Jaspar and a 9-month-old American Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy named Diesel.

The accused would strike Diesel as a form of training and discipline, and had hit and kicked the puppy after it had engaged in rough play with the Boxer puppy. He also threw half-bricks at the American Staffordshire puppy as he ran away, with one of the half-bricks missing the Staffy and striking Jaspar.

The Magistrate placed the accused on a good behaviour bond without conviction for 12 months. Costs in the sum of $4,412.40 were awarded and a s12 disqualification order against all animal ownership for two years was granted.

18-Jun-21

Seymour (online)

The case involved a blue male Staffordshire Bull Terrier type dog ‘Boofa’.

Boofa was suffering from a chronic skin condition and had extensive hair loss over most of its body. A closer inspection revealed the dog’s skin to be flaky with a waxy appearance.

Boofa was surrendered and transported to an RSPCA Veterinary Clinic. A veterinarian conducted a full clinical examination and found the dog to be suffering from a bilateral ear infection and a skin infection. He was appropriately treated and within two weeks his condition had resolved and the hair had begun to regrow.

The accused was placed on a good behaviour bond without conviction for 12 months and costs in the sum of $313.50 were awarded.

29-Jun-21

Dandenong (online)

The case involved 16 domestic cats, four rabbits, five rats, one ferret, one native gecko, one native hopping mouse and one Staffordshire Bull Terrier type dog.

The conditions inside the premises contained a build-up of animal faeces and urine over the flooring surfaces, including carpeted areas. A black Miniature Lop rabbit was deceased in emaciated body condition and a white Miniature Lop rabbit was recumbent in emaciated body condition and was later humanely euthanised. Necropsy identified the rabbits emaciated condition was due to malnutrition.

Five rats in the same enclosure were sneezing and in poor body condition and in a separate enclosure was a rabbit in very poor condition. These animals had no access to food and either no access to water or access only to contaminated water. The bedding of the enclosures were soiled, with no evidence of recent cleaning. The rats were found to be in thin body condition and to be suffering from an upper respiratory tract infection that required treatment. The rabbit was in emaciated body condition and was suffering from starvation.

A ferret was also found in the kitchen, housed in an enclosure with no food and minimal amount of water.

The accused was placed on a Community Corrections Order with conviction for 12 months with 60 hours of unpaid community work. Costs in the sum of $729.50 were awarded and a s12 disqualification order was made against all animal ownership for a period of five years, save for her current dog and cat.