A 78-year-old Bullsbrook woman has been sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment for seven months and permanently prohibited from owning animals after leaving her female goat to suffer permanent injury due to overgrown hooves.
Midland Magistrates Court today heard an RSPCA WA inspector attended the woman's property in February last year and saw the goat's hooves had started to curl upwards by several centimetres. The inspector noted the goat, who RSPCA WA named Bertha, appeared to be in discomfort as she was leaning backwards and bearing weight on her heels.
Despite attempts to engage with the offender and have her arrange for the necessary treatment for Bertha and other animals at the property, the woman remained uncooperative and non-compliant. The inspector returned to the property with two external vets and an RSPCA WA vet nurse who noted Bertha had severely overgrown hooves by at least six to seven centimetres on all four limbs, which had caused the lateral wall to grow over the sole surface.
The vets advised that Bertha 'desperately' needed remedial foot trimming and further care and told the offender her condition was concerning as she now had deformed hooves that were causing her pain and discomfort. The offender did not comply with written directions to have Bertha's hooves tended to, and Bertha was seized by the inspector after which she was treated and given a guarded prognosis.
Bertha remains under vet care at RSPCA WA.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mark Millington said the offender's conduct was "deliberate" in his view and the cruelty and animal's suffering was "clearly extended over a period of time".
RSPCA WA Inspector Manager Kylie Green said the pain Bertha was in is unimaginable.
"Not only was Bertha left for too long without adequate care, but the offender also failed to comply with written directions which prolonged her pain," she said. "While goats are easy to keep, they do require specific care and there is no excuse for the offender allowing Bertha's hooves to advance to this stage."
The offender was sentenced under sections 19(1), 19(3)(h), 40(2) and 47(3) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. RSPCA WA argued she was cruel to an animal in that she allowed Bertha to suffer harm that could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps, and that she failed to comply with two written directions from the inspector.
The offender was also ordered to pay $2000 in fines for failing to comply with two written directions and more than $5000 in legal costs. Her prohibition order will commence from 19 April to allow her time to rehome any animals in her care.
The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. The maximum penalty for failing to comply with a written direction is $20,000 and one year 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.
