A 43-year-old Dalyellup woman has been fined $4,500, ordered to pay costs and reimbursements of $4,569, and banned from owning an animal for two years for failing to properly feed a nine-month-old puppy and failing to seek vet care for him, and for failing to comply with a direction from an RSPCA WA inspector.
Bunbury Magistrates Court heard RSPCA WA inspectors attended the woman's property in July 2024 after receiving a cruelty report about the brindle shar-pei cross named Fat Boi.
The inspectors saw Fat Boi in a small fenced off area which contained a large amount of faeces and rubbish. They could see the outline of his hips, ribs and spine and he had a build-up of discharge in his eyes.
Despite working with the offender to help her better care for Fat Boi, including providing food, flea and worming treatment, and advice on how to clean his eyes, the puppy's condition did not improve, and he was not taken to see a vet as directed.
Fat Boi was seized by RSPCA WA inspectors and taken to a vet who determined he was severely underweight with a body condition score of 1/5. He was also found to be suffering painful breed-related health issues including dermatitis and an eye condition that occurs when the eyelid rolls inward.
He continues to recover in RSPCA WA foster care.
The woman is the third person to be sentenced for the same matter. Last month, her 27-year-old daughter was fined $2,500; the daughter's 36-year-old male partner was fined $2,000. Both were banned from owning an animal for two years. All three offenders lived at the same Dallyellup address with Fat Boi.
Magistrate Joanne Andretich acknowledged that the two younger offenders were not as culpable for the offending as the 43-year-old offender, that there were cultural reasons why the daughter did not intervene to care for Fat Boi against her mother's wishes, and that the male offender had made some efforts to care for Fat Boi.
RSPCA WA Chief Operating Officer Hannah Dreaver said unfortunately Fat Boi's situation is one the RSPCA sees all too often. "Not only was Fat Boi underfed, but he was also suffering from breed-related issues that were painful," she said.
"Sadly, the shelter sees many shar-peis come through the gates suffering from those same skin and eye problems. It is inexcusable to ignore your pet's needs, especially known breed-related issues, and let them suffer like this."
The offenders were sentenced under sections 19(1), 19(3)(d) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. They were found to have failed to provide Fat Boi with sufficient food and allowed him to suffer harm which could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps. The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. The 43-year-old woman was also fined under section 47(3) of the Act for failing to comply with a direction from an RSPCA WA inspector.
The woman had her ownership of Fat Boi forfeited. The Magistrate ruled the two-year ownership ban excludes a dog and a cat she already has.
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 at rspcawa.org.au.
