Strathbogie Shire woman guilty of animal cruelty

A 79-YEAR-OLD Strathbogie Shire woman pleaded guilty in early July to two charges of animal cruelty and one breach of a conditional banning, RSPCA Victoria has revealed. After receiving a cruelty report from a member of the public, RSPCA Victoria inspectors attended the property where they discovered a number of animals both inside and outside the house. They returned under a warrant and found 86 birds (parrots, doves, and poultry), two dogs, two cats and an alpaca living in unsanitary conditions. According to RSPCA Victoria, the parrots were confined in squalid conditions; their cages had a heavy build-up of faeces and little to no water, and the air was thick with flies and dust. The two dogs had very matted coats, yeast infections in their ears, and appeared to have spent considerable time in carry-sized cages, and the alpaca had a heavy fleece burden. The majority of the birds were able to be rehomed, but a parrot with severe feather loss, three other parrots and a rooster were seized by Inspectors due to inappropriate housing, while the dogs and cats were seized as a direct breach of a previous banning order. RSPCA Victoria’s Dr Jess Cove described the appalling living conditions the animals were kept in. “These housing conditions are wholly unsuitable for the housing and care of animals, posing a threat to their health and wellbeing,” Dr Cove said. “Leaving helpless animals in such appalling conditions shows these owners are not capable of looking after animals in a way in which they are free of suffering of the threat of injury, illness and disease.” The woman was sentenced to a two-year good behaviour bond with conviction and a 10-year disqualification order banning her from owning any animal with the exception of six birds. All animals seized in this case have been adopted or released to a wildlife rehabilitator Anyone found guilty of cruelty offences can face fines of up to $49,397.50 or 12 months’ imprisonment and fines of up to $98,795 or two years' imprisonment for breaching a control order.

Strathbogie Shire woman guilty of animal cruelty

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