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Inspectorate ANDREW LINDSAY – BALLARAT MAGISTRATES COURT RSPCA Inspectors attend and investigate a vast range of complaints each and every year. In late 2008, on a routine inspection of a rural property, an RSPCA Inspector noticed a small number of sheep in a paddock close to the farm house. One of the sheep was lying down on its side and appeared to be trying to get up, flailing its legs out to the side, but unable to right itself. Upon closer examination of the sheep the Inspector noticed the head of a dead lamb protruding from the sheep. The sheep was in pain and was suffering quite badly. On questioning the owner about the condition of the sheep, the owner stated that the sheep had gone down two days earlier and that he had attempted to help it after one day by rubbing its belly. The owner admitted something was wrong with the sheep and that it had gasped for air when he had pressed on its chest. He also stated that he had not called a veterinary practitioner to attend to the sheep because he thought it was going to die. As a result of failing to provide veterinary or other appropriate attention or treatment for the animal, the sheep had become seriously disabled and was subsequently euthanased on humane grounds. The owner was charged with three offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and ordered to appear at Ballarat Magistrates Court. As a result, the owner was placed on a 12 month undertaking and ordered to pay costs of $64.70.
MARGARET HIGHAM – GEELONG MAGISTRATES COURT Animal cruelty comes in many shapes and forms. Animal hoarding is one scenario that RSPCA Inspectors deal with frequently. Animal hoarders accumulate large numbers of animals that they simply cannot care for. Some hoarders start with good intentions, but as the number of animals collected increases, the situation gets out of control. Margaret Higham was a known animal hoarder having received arrest warrants in other Australian states. In 2008 RSPCA Inspectors were called to a property in Casterton, following information received by Victorian Police that Margaret and her husband Joseph, were located at a property in the vicinity. Upon arrival at the property a large number of dogs could be seen, both confined and roaming free. A number of dogs had obvious leg injuries as they were unable to bare weight on their legs. The dogs were displaying signs of aggression and a number of fights broke out amongst the dogs. Upon closer inspection of the property and its various buildings, Inspectors calculated that there were approximately 130 dogs, including puppies and three pigs on the property. Many of the animals were in very poor condition and unsociable, and Inspectors identified a number of welfare issues including injuries, sickness, parasite burdens, deformity, inadequate shelter and inadequate confinement. Consulting with a local veterinarian, RSPCA Inspectors began to closely examine the condition and health of the animals on the property. Due to the vast number of animals present, that were not able to be cared for properly by the owner, many had to be euthanased on humane grounds because of health problems sustained. In total, 127 dogs/puppies were seized from the property by RSPCA Inspectors. 45 dogs and puppies, and three pigs were removed from the site and placed in the care of RSPCA shelters in Victoria. The remaining 82 dogs and three pigs were unfortunately euthanased under veterinary guidance on humane grounds.
Margaret Higham pleaded guilty to 20 charges of animal cruelty on
5 August
2009 at the Geelong Magistrates Court. She was convicted of all 20 charges and
ordered to pay $20,000 in costs. WODONGA MAGISTRATES COURT An offender pleaded guilty to six charges at the Wodonga Magistrates Court on 23 June 2009. The charges related to animal cruelty inflicted upon his two dogs. The offender received a three-month suspended prison sentence, a 10-year banning order on owning animals and was ordered to pay a total of $3,743 to the RSPCA. This is the second time in a matter of weeks that a 10-year banning order has been issued by a Victorian court. Following an inspection by an RSPCA Inspector Guy Gorman in August 2008, The offender failed to comply with two formal notices to seek a veterinary assessment of both dogs and to provide sufficient food and worming treatment. He also received an advisory letter and education in caring for his dogs. One of the dogs, Boof, was so emaciated that individual ribs, spine and pelvic bones were visible. He had a severe lack of muscle mass, and very little to no body fat. Magistrate Len Brear, presiding over the matter, said that there was no excuse for the ‘absolutely disgraceful’ condition of the dogs, stating “if you can’t afford to keep an animal properly, you shouldn’t keep it”. He also added that the offender's “inability” to empathise with the dogs’ condition warranted a prison sentence.
THIEN NGUYEN – SUNSHINE MAGISTRATES COURT A team of RSPCA Veterinarians and Inspectors, along with officials from the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Police Department, attended the premises of Thien Nguyen in 2008 following information received that he was keeping gamecocks used for cock fighting. Following the issue of a search warrant, RSPCA Inspectors found gamecock literature and the cut off legs of two gamecocks inside the premises, and a row of cages in the backyard containing birds. One cage held a white rooster which was obviously very ill and with no food or water. All remaining cocks were groomed in a manner consistent with cockfighting i.e., with their combs and spurs cut. At the rear over 20 more birds were found inside a garden shed, and an area that appeared to be a preparation area for the gamecocks. Cock fighting instruments were also found both inside the shed, and inside the owner’s house. The owner was charged with six offences, including the use of his premises for the purpose of cock fighting, aggravated cruelty and possessing cock fighting instruments. He received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay $2000 in fines and banned from owning poultry for 5 years.
Rescue Cases On the of 14 June, 2007 at 8.15 am, our inspectorate team received a call from workers at a site where a 10-week old little black and white kitten had its head stuck in a drainage hole of a large steel bin. The workers had attempted to push the kitten through, and then pull the kitten out, and in so doing had covered the poor little kitten in detergent in an attempt to lubricate her enough to be pulled out. Unfortunately they had failed in their attempts to free the kitten from the hole. Inspector Coulter attended the site and was also unable to dislodge the kitten. Inspector Coulter called the Oakleigh Metropolitan Fire Brigade who attended with two fire and rescue trucks fully manned, and STILL the kitten could not be dislodged.
Senior Inspector Weston then attended with an RSPCA
veterinarian James who sedated
The Fire Brigade team was then able to use some of its heavy rescue equipment to cut away some of the steel bin. This was enough for us to remove the kitten and quickly transport her to the RSPCA veterinary clinic. The inspectors and vet left the scene at approx. 11.00 am.
The kitten was found to be suffering from severe shock, and was quickly warmed and placed on a drip. After her 3° -night stuck in her predicament and her drenching with detergent and oil, she then enjoyed a big feed and a sponge bath. We believe the kitten was a stray as she had no identification and was is not de-sexed. But as you can see she is now doing much better.
About 9.30 pm on Saturday, 13 January, RSPCA Inspector Natalie Linney received a call to say a calf or cow was stuck in mud in a paddock in Berwick. When Inspector Linney arrived at the property, she located the animal and discovered that it was a cow and that she needed assistance to get the cow out of the mud. She contacted the SES which arrived about midnight. There was no house on the property and as Inspector Linney said, “It was pitch black darkness". After fixing a harness to the cow, she was winched out of the mud and spent about five minutes on the ground resting before standing. Even on the ground she began to eat some grass, as she was obviously very hungry. The time was now about 1.30 am Sunday.
Inspector Linney checked the cow and, except for
being very muddy, found that she was alright. Inspector Linney went back on Sunday afternoon to check on the welfare of the cow and noted that she was still very muddy, but her teats were clean; Inspector Linney then discovered that that she had a calf by her side! A very happy ending to the rescue.
The RSPCA acknowledges the support of the SES in this rescue.
The Mare was a standard bred broodmare called "Bonnie" and was stuck in the muddy creek and was exhausted. The residents and a neighbour had being trying to free her. The neighbour was already in the mud trying to put carpet underneath the mare's legs to give her a foothold so that she could haul herself up - which was a good idea to start with. After trying this approach it became evident that the mare was just too tired.
Our inspectors and the neighbour placed the sling under the horse and Inspector Hughes organised the ropes from the embankment. The resident and caretaker of the horse was asked to use his tractor and after some adjustments to get the horse rescued without injury to either human or horse, they eventually pulled Bonnie out. Bonnie, exhausted from her ordeal, lay on the ground quietly in the paddock whilst they took the equipment off her. Bonnie sat up after about 10 minutes and after a few attempts to stand, she got up, rather shakily. Inspector Hughes led her to her foal, which suckled straight away, and then he led her to a yard so her caretaker could feed her. Inspector Hughes advised the caretaker to call their vet to give Bonnie a good check over and then to get her cleaned of all of the murky creek mud. In February 2005 an Inspector received a call regarding a cockatoo that had been sitting in a tree in the same spot for five days and was now hanging upside down. Due to the considerable height of the bird's position the inspector requested assistance from the Country Fire Authority and a unit from Warrandyte was promptly dispatched. Upon examination it was clear that the cockatoo had tangled some hay bale around its leg which had got caught on the high branch. Five days of the cockatoo attempting to release itself had resulted in the leg being completely stripped of flesh, exposing the bare bones of the leg. The bird was exhausted, dehydrated and starving. Seven hours, over 20 people and one front fence later, the cockatoo was released from its stringy entanglement and quickly transported to the RSPCA's veterinary clinic where it was assessed. Consultations between the RSPCA and specialist bird veterinarians led to the decision to amputate the injured leg. After a lengthy recovery at the RSPCA, the bird was sent to a wildlife carer where he continues to be rehabilitated with the view to eventually releasing it back into the wild. If you would like to contact the RSPCA to register a cruelty complaint please call: 03 9224 2222 or complete an online complaint form.
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