A 30-year-old Dalyellup man has been fined $5000 and ordered to pay $1685.03 in costs, after pleading guilty to two charges of animal cruelty.
The charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 relate to a two-year-old kelpie crossbreed dog named Millie and an older pointer-style dog named Dusty.
The Bunbury Magistrates Court heard Millie was found wandering in Dalyellup in June and was taken by a member of the public to a Bunbury vet clinic. Millie was severely emaciated, showing the outline of her spine, ribs and hips, and with no visible body fat. She also appeared to be lactating, indicating that she must have recently given birth to puppies.
Millie’s microchip revealed her owner’s details, and an RSPCA inspector attended the owner’s home. The man told the inspector he had been feeding Millie until a few days before but that she had gone off her food.
The offender then showed the inspector Millie’s litter of eight two-week-old puppies who were dehydrated and underweight.
In the yard, the inspector saw Dusty who was also underweight, although not as severely as Millie. Dusty had wounds on both of his shoulders which the offender said he had received while pig hunting.
The offender admitted to stapling both the wounds closed without the use of anaesthetic. The staples in the wound on Dusty’s left shoulder had fallen out and the wound was open, red and swollen.
The offender surrendered Millie and her puppies to the RSPCA while the inspector seized Dusty under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
The vet who examined Millie described her as emaciated and as having a ravenous appetite. Her body score was one out of nine.
Dusty’s body condition was described as poor with a body condition score of three out of nine.
Both dogs were treated and have fully recovered. Millie has been adopted into a loving home and Dusty is in foster care awaiting the finalisation of this matter when he too will be made available for adoption.
Inspector Manager Kylie Green said both dogs had suffered unnecessarily.
‘It’s clear Millie wasn’t given enough food to maintain her own health, let alone that of her pups,’ Kylie said.
‘As for Dusty, it would have been painful for him to have his wounds sutured without anaesthetic—he should have been taken to a vet and been treated professionally.’
Kylie thanked Harradine & Associate Vet Hospital for their assistance in this matter.
The RSPCA relies on the community to report incidents of suspected cruelty and neglect. Report cruelty 24/7 on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or online here.
