A 22-year-old woman and 25-year-old man have been charged with animal cruelty offences after their emaciated dogs were seized by the RSPCA in June.
An inspector attended the pair's Yerecoin property, 156 kilometres north-north-east of Perth, after the RSPCA received a cruelty report in relation to two dogs chained up in a carport, so skinny the outlines of all their bones were visible.
The female accused told the RSPCA inspector she had been feeding the dogs twice a day to try and fatten them up. She claimed the male Staghound had always been skinny and the female Rhodesian Ridgeback-Staghound-cross dog was skinny because of worms.
The inspector seized both dogs, given the severity of their emaciation, and transported them to the RSPCA's Animal Care Centre in Malaga.
A vet examination revealed both dogs were extremely underweight with the outline of their ribs, lumbar, vertebrae and pelvic bones clearly visible. Neither had any discernible body fat and both were suffering from obvious loss of muscle mass, and generalised muscle atrophy, due to emaciation.
Both dogs were started on a proper diet and in three months each had put on nearly half of what their original body weight was when seized. The male dog went from 18 kilograms to 26 kilograms and the female from 17 kilograms to 24 kilograms.
RSPCA WA asserts the condition the dogs were found in was a direct result of both the male and female accused's failure to provide each dog with proper and sufficient food.
Both have been charged under section 19(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
They will appear in the Moora Magistrates Court on 3 November.
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 online here.
