Cooloongup man sentenced for deliberately poisoning his dog
A 42-year-old Cooloongup man has been sentenced to six months and 14 days in prison, suspended for six months, on two counts of animal cruelty. He has also been banned from being in charge of an animal for five years.
He allowed his dog, Felix, to suffer for a period of months with an untreated and infected wound before intentionally poisoning him with a fatal dose of paracetamol.
Rockingham Magistrates Court heard RSPCA WA received a cruelty report on 14 January 2025 after Felix, an 11-year-old boxer cross, was found dead in a rubbish bin on the verge of the man’s Cooloongup property.
RSPCA WA inspectors attended and confirmed through microchip records that Felix belonged to the offender. When spoken to under caution, the man admitted Felix had suffered from a severe wound to his inner thigh for about a month.
He described the wound as “really bad”, exposed and foul-smelling, and admitted he saw the injury every day as it worsened and became infected. The court heard he did not seek veterinary treatment, surrender Felix for care, or ask for help, despite believing Felix was suffering and in pain.
A witness said they had seen the injury on Felix’s leg months earlier, describing the wound as raw, oozing pus and having a foul odour.
The offender admitted he gave Felix 12 paracetamol tablets to “put him down”. An RSPCA WA vet confirmed the dose was toxic and would have caused significant suffering over the day and a half it took Felix to die.
In sentencing, Magistrate Sarah Oliver described the offending as serious, noting Felix was vulnerable and the poisoning added to his suffering.
RSPCA WA Inspector Manager Kylie Green said the case was particularly distressing because Felix’s suffering was prolonged and entirely avoidable.
“Felix endured significant pain over an extended period, despite multiple opportunities for intervention,” Ms Green said. “He then suffered more when his owner decided to cause his death with paracetamol.
“No animal should be left to suffer with a severe untreated wound, particularly when help is available, and no animal should be subjected to such a long, painful death. If someone is unable to afford veterinary care, or feels overwhelmed by a situation, there are options available”
The offender was convicted under sections 19(1), 19(2)(c), and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and five years’ imprisonment.
Animal welfare concerns can be reported to RSPCA WA’s cruelty hotline on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 3589) or via rspcawa.org.au.
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