Cases scheduled for court hearings in November 2023
A man and a woman from the state's east are facing the Berri Magistrates Court on two counts of animal ill-treatment over the living conditions of four cats and four guinea pigs that were in their care. The animals were found by an RSPCA inspector to be living in their own urine and faeces. The 41-year-old woman is further charged with breaching an earlier order prohibiting her from owning animals due to prior offending in December 2021 against the Animal Welfare Act.
A 33-year-old man and 28-year-old woman are due to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court, charged with ill treatment of an animal in relation to an emaciated five-year-old kelpie found at their former residence in Gawler East. The attending RSPCA inspector who seized the dog and took it to an emergency vet also found a deceased, emaciated cat at the property. No charges were laid in relation to the approximately 10-year-old cat as the cause of death was inconclusive. The dog has recovered and been forfeited by the court to RSPCA.
A 30-year-old woman from the western suburbs is due to face the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with breaching a court order prohibiting her from owning any animals on two separate occasions. The defendant was allegedly found on 17th May 2023 with two puppies in her care. Subsequently the accused was found with a further six dogs at her property on the 6th September 2023. (The order prohibiting the defendant from owning any animals except three birds was made after she plead guilty and was convicted in October 2022 on animal ill-treatment charges relating to four dogs, four puppies and two cats.) The accused is also charged with a breach of the good behaviour bond that she had been given in regards to the earlier sentence.
A man and a woman, both aged 30, are due to face the Whyalla Magistrates Court on two counts of ill-treatment of an animal after a female dog and her seven puppies were found in emaciated condition. In addition to allegedly failing to provide appropriate and adequate nutrition to the animals, the defendants are alleged to have failed to seek veterinary treatment for severe ring worm. All the dogs were surrendered and rehomed, except for one puppy who was humanely euthanased due to being found in an extremely poor condition.
A 58-year-old woman from the southern suburbs is due to face the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on three counts of animal ill-treatment in regard to a failure to seek medical attention for her dog, who was suffering from an untreated ear infection and skin condition, as well as one of her cats, who was left in their own waste in a cat carrier. The defendant is further charged with one count of hinder or obstruct an RSPCA inspector in exercise of their powers for hiding six cats and a dog from the inspector at an associate's home.
A woman from the western suburbs is due to face the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on two counts of animal ill treatment in relation to four dogs in the defendant's care. All of the dogs were found in an emaciated state with one of them recently deceased at the property. The three surviving dogs were rehabilitated in RSPCA's care and rehomed.
Two female defendants from a regional town north of Adelaide will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court on cruelty charges relating to a large number of dogs, cats, native animals and birds found in poor condition and being kept in squalid conditions in November 2020. The majority of the animals recovered and have now been rehomed after the defendants surrendered them. The two accused are also charged with further offending regarding eleven dogs seized in November 2022.
A 52-year-old man from Adelaide's northern suburbs is due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on two charges of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to two dogs, one of which was in need of urgent veterinary treatment. The defendant is facing further ill-treatment charges in relation to two cats and a pig.
A 58-year-old man from the Murraylands region is due to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on nine counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to nine dogs, all found in emaciated condition and suffering severe and chronic skin conditions. The defendant is charged with failing to mitigate harm suffered by the animals, two of which were humanely euthanased due to multiple health issues.
A woman is due to appear in the Murray Bridge Magistrates Court to face three counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to three horses, all found in emaciated condition on a property in the East Murray District near Mannum.
Under SA's Animal Welfare Act, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is $20,000 or two years' imprisonment. For an aggravated cruelty offence, the maximum penalty is $50,000 or four years' imprisonment.
RSPCA South Australia is the state's only animal welfare charity with inspectors empowered to prosecute animal cruelty under SA's Animal Welfare Act.
Members of the public who witness animal cruelty or neglect are urged to immediately call RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty report hotline on 1300 477 722.
