Info & advice Latest news Bullsbrook man convicted for keeping Kelpie in squalor 19 March 2025 A 70-year-old Bullsbrook man was today fined $3,500 and banned from owning domestic animals for one year after being convicted of animal cruelty for keeping his mature kelpie in an enclosure filled with dog faeces, animal bones and contaminated water. Midland Magistrates Court heard an RSPCA inspector attended the man’s home in August 2023 after receiving a cruelty report in relation to another matter and found an 8-year-old female brown and red kelpie in a makeshift enclosure. The enclosure contained an excessive build-up of faeces, estimated to have built up over several months, as well as animal bones, wire, sheets of rusty tin, and broken wooden slats. The offender declined to surrender the dog to RSPCA WA, stating he would destroy her instead, after keeping her for a few more months for work purposes. The inspector issued a direction notice for the man to clean up the enclosure. He did not comply. The dog was seized and named Maggie by the inspector as the offender would not say what her name was. Maggie was transported to RSPCA WA’s Animal Care Centre for assessment and treatment where it was found she had a flea infestation; suspected osteoarthritis; and a mammary mass that was later confirmed to be benign. Maggie continues to recover under vet care at RSPCA WA. In sentencing, Magistrate Mark Millington said the offender’s decision not to clean Maggie’s enclosure was “pure laziness”. In relation to the squalid conditions of the enclosure, Magistrate Millington said the “photos and videos speak for themselves”. Inspector Manager Kylie Green said Maggie deserved so much better. “Imagine the person who’s meant to love and protect you making you live in a rubbish-filled enclosure full of faeces,” she said. “By his own admission, Maggie was working for him, and this is how he repaid her. Our animals rely on us for all their needs including a safe place to live. Today’s outcome is a strong reminder to all dog owners, including people who use them for farm work that they have the responsibility to ensure those dogs are cared for properly.” The offender was convicted under sections 19(1) and 19(3)(b)(ii) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. He was found to have been cruel to an animal in that he confined her in a way that was likely to cause her unnecessary harm. He was also convicted under 47(3) for refusing to comply with a direction notice. The offender was fined $2,500 for the cruelty offences and $1000 for failing to comply with the direction notice. He was ordered to forfeit Maggie to RSPCA WA and pay almost $6000 in legal costs. The maximum penalty for a conviction of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. 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 at rspcawa.org.au. Manage Cookie Preferences