A Glenmore Park woman was convicted and sentenced at Penrith Local Court on 21 October 2021 after pleading guilty to multiple animal cruelty charges. The charges include committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal and failing to provide veterinary treatment to her dog, named Suzy. On 6 July 2021, an RSPCA NSW inspector saw a black and white American Staffordshire terrier with a large wound visible in the defendant's backyard. The dog was lying on its side and was unresponsive to initial calls made by the inspector and the defendant. Upon closer examination, the inspector located a large, ulcerated, and infected lump on the dog's stomach. Blood was weeping from the wound, with encrusted blood visible in the fur on both hind legs of the dog. The lump impacted the dog's ability to sit down and walk. Due to the extent of her injury, Suzie was seized by the inspector for immediate veterinary treatment. An expert veterinarian found that the dog had an ulcerated and infected squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) on her abdomen and had needed veterinary care for at least four months. Suzy also required veterinary treatment for anaemia 14 days prior to examination. The examining veterinarian determined that the dog was in such a physical condition that it was cruel to keep the dog alive, and Suzy was humanely euthanised. |
Suzy was suffering with a large cancerous lump on her abdomen |
The defendant was convicted, placed on a 2-year community corrections order, fined $7,000.00, and ordered to pay veterinary treatment costs of $1,506.74. The Magistrate disqualified the defendant from owning any animal for 5 years. Responsible pet ownership requires providing attentive care to animals, including making sure pets get the help they need if they are suffering from an illness or injury", RSPCA NSW Deputy Chief Inspector Aaron Purcell said. "There is no justification to allow an animal, who is clearly in physical pain, to continue suffering due to inaction." GRAPHIC IMAGES WARNING. |
