A 47-year-old Balga woman has been convicted of animal cruelty after CCTV captured her kicking, dragging and tormenting a nine-month-old female Shar-Pei cross for approximately 10 minutes.
The offender was fined $7,500, banned from owning an animal for five years, and ordered to pay $1,756 in care and legal costs.
Perth Magistrates Court heard on Friday that footage of the attack was given to RSPCA WA on 7 March by WA Police. They had obtained the vision, dated 27 February, during the investigation of an unrelated matter.
In the video, the offender can be seen in the driveway of her home, repeatedly yelling loud and aggressive profanities at the puppy, named Charlie, to get in the back seat of a car. When Charlie does enter the car, it is after she has defecated and urinated in fear, and the offender can be seen and heard further abusing Charlie and dragging her out forcibly by the front legs as Charlie whines in pain.
At various points of the CCTV, the woman can be seen forcefully kicking Charlie in the chest, head and backside, and otherwise physically hurting her. The offender can be heard striking the puppy repeatedly off-camera with Charlie yelping in pain. The puppy can be seen cowering, running away, tucking her tail between her legs, and freezing in fear at various times over the prolonged incident.
On 7 March, an RSPCA WA inspector attended the offender's property and seized Charlie. A subsequent vet examination concluded that psychological harm was the likely cause of hypervigilance and appeasing behaviours being shown by Charlie, and that soft tissue injury was also likely causing pain and may be the cause of mild back leg lameness.
The offender surrendered Charlie who recovered in the RSPCA's care and has since been adopted, with her new owner describing her as "a princess".
In sentencing, Magistrate Joe Randazzo said, "The manner in which you behaved was appalling. You called that dog an idiot. The only idiot was you on that day, the way you found yourself treating that dog."
RSPCA WA Chief Operating Officer Hannah Dreaver said she was appalled by the offender's behaviour.
"From the start, she is screaming aggressively at Charlie, which is enough to cause fear in any dog, let alone one so young," she said.
"To then see the physical pain she inflicts and to hear Charlie cry out in pain … it's hard to comprehend anyone being so malicious to a defenceless, obviously terrified animal."
The offender was convicted under sections 19(1) and 19(2)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. The RSPCA relies on the community to report incidents of suspected cruelty and neglect. Report cruelty on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or at rspcawa.org.au.
