16 July 2013

A Hamilton Hill woman was today found guilty, in her absence, of animal cruelty in Fremantle Magistrates Court and was fined $2,000 and banned for five years from owning animals.

Costs of $6,709 were awarded to the RSPCA and she was ordered to forfeit her two dogs which are still under veterinary care at the RSPCA.

The woman was charged with animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 after RSPCA Inspector visited the property in response to a cruelty complaint in February 2013.

The Inspector sighted two emaciated Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross dogs at the property, without food, water or adequate shelter, and seized both dogs, immediately transporting them to the nearest veterinary clinic - both dogs showed marked/severe emaciation consistent with a long period of totally inadequate nutrition.

The Magistrate stated that the charge sought was proven and that the emaciated state of the dogs was due to lack of food, shelter and water