There are nine cases scheduled for court hearings in June.
A 72 year old woman from the North East suburbs is due to appear in Adelaide Magistrates court charged with four counts of aggravated ill-treatment of her elderly dog who she failed to treat for large tumors on the dog's back and rear leg. The dog was also suffering from severe arthritis in the rear legs and was and was living in a hole under the shed when it seized by inspectors in February 2023. The dog was euthanaised upon humane grounds on veterinary advice due to the advanced nature of the issues, as treatment was not able to improve the dog's quality of life.
A female dog-breeder will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court for sentencing submissions after being found guilty of ten counts of animal ill-treatment at trial. Conditions at the facility were such that the animals had severe psychological issues and many of them could not be rehabilitated. The defendant has history of similar concerns in Victoria and has continued to be engaged in dog breeding throughout the Court process.
Two female defendants from a regional town north of Adelaide will face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on cruelty charges relating to eleven dogs found in poor condition and being kept in squalid conditions. The same pair were already facing court for 58 counts alleging similar allegations of animal ill-treatment against a multitude of dogs, cats and other animals, with that matter set for trial in early July.
A 27-year-old woman is due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to face two counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to two dogs found in emaciated condition at a north-eastern suburbs property.
A 28-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man are due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with alleged failure to adequately feed a nine-year-old mastiff cross dog, found in emaciated condition. They are also charged with alleged failure to provide appropriate and adequate living conditions to 16 cats, found living in squalid and unsanitary conditions at a property in Kilburn. Most of the animals have been surrendered and rehomed. A dog and two cats remain in protective custody with RSPCA SA.
A man from Adelaide's northern suburbs pleaded guilty to multiple charges in relation to the alleged ill-treatment of several reptiles and a rat found emaciated and/or deceased is due in Elizabeth Magistrates Court for submissions for sentencing.
A couple in their 40s is due to face the Christies Beach Magistrates Court to face two counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to two dogs, found in emaciated condition. Both dogs were surrendered to RSPCA inspectors and have been rehomed. Their adult teenage son is a co-accused in relation to the care of one of the dogs. If found guilty of the alleged offending the couple would also be in breach of a 12-month suspended sentence bond, that was ordered in October 2021, after they were convicted for failing to provide sufficient food for two other dogs in their care that were also found in emaciated condition in 2020. Those two dogs were also rehomed. Part of the 2021 sentence was a court order prohibiting them from acquiring or having custody of any animals until further order, which they are now accused of breaching.
A 52-year-old man from Adelaide's northern suburbs is due to appear in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on two charges of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to two dogs, one of which was allegedly in need of urgent veterinary treatment. The defendant is facing two further ill-treatment charges in relation to two cats and a pig.
A man in his late forties is before Adelaide Magistrates Court for sentencing submissions after pleading guilty to taking an associate's Husky and drowning it in a wheelie bin following an alleged dispute.
Under SA's Animal Welfare Act, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is $20,000 or two years' imprisonment. For an aggravated cruelty offence, the maximum penalty is $50,000 or four years' imprisonment.
RSPCA South Australia is the state's only animal welfare charity with inspectors empowered to prosecute animal cruelty under SA's Animal Welfare Act.
Members of the public who witness animal cruelty or neglect are urged to immediately call RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty report hotline on 1300 477 722.
