A 45-year-old Joondanna woman has been charged with 18 counts of animal cruelty after RSPCA WA inspectors removed three adult Staffy crossbreed dogs and seven puppies from a Gingin house the accused was living in.
RSPCA WA received a cruelty report from a Shire of Gingin ranger in November last year, citing concerns the dogs were living in squalor among uncollected faeces and old food inside the home.
RSPCA WA will allege the subsequent investigation revealed the accused left the dogs unattended inside barricaded rooms inside the property for days at a time while she lived at a second property in Perth.
The investigating inspector noted the dogs' living conditions contained large amounts of rubbish and broken household items, caked-on and fresh faeces, urine, maggots, and other insects.
It will be further alleged that vet examinations of the dogs revealed that they had been living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions which were the likely cause of urinary tract infections and parasitic infections in some of the animals for which the accused had not sought vet treatment.
Further, it will be alleged that one of the dogs had multiple painful bite wounds from dog fights which had also been left untreated.
The accused has been charged under sections 19(1), 19(3)(b)(ii) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. RSPCA WA will allege she was cruel to the dogs in that she confined them in a manner that caused or was likely to cause unnecessary harm, and that she allowed three of the dogs to suffer harm that 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 matter will be heard on 17 November at Midland Magistrates Court. 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.
