A 61-year-old Bullsbrook man has been fined $28,000 and banned from being in charge of an animal for 10 years after being found guilty of animal cruelty for starving six horses and leaving two of them to also suffer untreated health issues.
He was also found guilty of failing to comply with a written direction notice and for twice giving an RSPCA WA inspector false information. In addition to the fines, the offender has also been ordered to pay $98,299 in care and legal costs.
The Armadale Magistrates Court heard an RSPCA WA inspector attended a property in Kenwick in June 2024 after receiving a cruelty report about the thoroughbreds. She found them in very poor body condition; there was no food or hay available and minimal grass.
The offender was issued a written direction notice to provide the horses with proper and sufficient food which he failed to comply with.
He also gave the inspector false information during her investigation namely; saying he had moved them to a property with lots of natural grass; that they were receiving constant hay and pellets and all looked much better; and by sending what he claimed were current photos of the horses looking in reasonable body condition but that were, in fact, taken much earlier.
