A 36-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman are due to face the Victor Harbor Magistrates Court for the first time, charged with ill-treatment of an animal under SA's Animal Welfare Act.
The charge is in relation to a severely emaciated dog found at the male defendant's Hayborough home in January 2024. The dog has since made a full recovery and remains in protective custody with RSPCA SA.
A 56-year-old Elizabeth East man is due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court charged with failing to mitigate harm to his dog, which did not receive appropriate medical treatment for a broken leg. The dog has fully recovered in RSPCA care following surgery to amputate its severely injured leg.
A 69-year-old woman is due to appear in the Port Augusta Magistrates Court to face 23 counts of ill-treatment of an animal under SA's Animal Welfare Act.
Twenty-one counts relate to cats and kittens, covering three factual circumstances. First, the RSPCA SA will allege these animals were kept in "Filthy" conditions, which is the worst rating on the organisation's Environmental Health Scale (adapted from Tufts Animal and Condition scales). Secondly, it will be alleged that the woman failed to seek veterinary treatment to mitigate harm suffered by some of the animals. Thirdly, that she allegedly failed to provide adequate food for some of the animals, who were in emaciated condition when seized by RSPCA SA inspectors on 21 February 2024.
The two remaining counts for ill treatment of an animal concern two River Murray Short-Necked turtles. Caring for these animals in captivity is complex, with their requirements including heating and artificial UV light, water at a specific PH, turtle docks and floating banks. Without proper care, they can develop illnesses, including ones that affect their shells.
RSPCA SA will allege that the woman failed to provide adequate and appropriate living conditions for the reptiles by failing to provide clean water and docking areas, thereby causing the animals to be permanently in water, which is contrary to their natural way of life. Having failed to provide the proper daily care for the turtles, the RSPCA SA will allege the woman then failed to seek veterinary treatment for them when they developed diseases. One had black ulcerated lesions and a soft shell due to lack of exposure to ultraviolent light and the other also had multiple lesions on its shell and a bone infection.
The woman agreed to surrender all of the animals, enabling them to be rehomed once they had recovered.
Three defendants are listed to appear for the first time before the Port Augusta Magistrates Court on three counts of animal ill-treatment. The man and two women, all from Port Augusta, are alleged to have mistreated 27 cats that were found living in filthy conditions in a small unit, as well as two dogs which both had untreated health issues. One of the dogs was humanely euthanised due to the severity of its health issues, some of which were age-related.
A 31-year-old man is due to appear in the Whyalla Magistrates Court on allegations that he neglected to provide adequate and appropriate food, water and living conditions to two dogs and six puppies. The mother dog was emaciated when seized from the defendant's property in Whyalla Stuart. All the animals remain in protective custody with RSPCA.
A 53-year-old woman is facing 18 counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to 124 rabbits and seven budgies found at her property in Hackham West in August 2023.
It will be alleged that the animals were being kept in squalid and unsanitary conditions and that some of the rabbits were emaciated. It will be further alleged that the woman failed to obtain veterinary treatment for rabbits suffering from a range of medical conditions including a broken leg, infected eyes and abscesses.
The matter is due before the Christies Beach Magistrates Court this month.
A Nuriootpa woman is due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on allegations that she was keeping six cats and two kittens in unsanitary conditions and that she failed to provide adequate food for the six adult cats, which were all emaciated when seized. The accused is further alleged to have failed to ensure water was available to the kittens. The animals remain in protective custody with RSPCA.
A 37-year-old woman from Elizabeth East is due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on charges in relation to her dog. The animal was found suffering from a large, open tumour at the base of its tail that required veterinary care and had only been provided with filthy, algae-laden water to drink. The dog has fully recovered and remains in protective custody with RSPCA.
The judgment will be handed down in a long-running trial in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court with a female defendant charged with ill treatment of an animal. The charge is in relation to a Standardbred horse that was found to be suffering from a chronic and painful medical condition. The horse was assessed by an attending equine vet and euthanased on humane grounds.
A 71-year-old Rosewater man is due to be sentenced in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court after he pled guilty on 14 Feb 2025 to one count of ill-treatment of an animal to cause death or serious harm. He also pled guilty to breaching Animal Welfare Regulations, which prohibit the setting of steel jaw traps.
The charges are in relation to a cat that was injured in a steel-jaw trap that the defendant set on his property.
A 29-year-old man is due before the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to face with two counts of ill treatment of an animal under SA's Animal Welfare Act.
The man (who holds no veterinary qualifications) is alleged to have caused his dog serious harm after castrating the animal's testicles (by use of a band normally intended for use with sheep) sometime between 29 March and 1 April 2024.
The man is also alleged to have failed to seek veterinary care for the dog, who was located at the man's Parafield Gardens property with a necrotic open wound from the castration. The dog remains in protective custody with RSPCA SA.
A 25-year-old Seacliff man is due before the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on allegations that he failed to provide adequate food, water and living conditions for his bearded dragon lizard. The lizard was heavily emaciated when seized but recovered after being in RSPCA care and has been rehomed.
A 56-year-old Salisbury man is due before the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to face with two counts of ill treatment of an animal under SA's Animal Welfare Act. The RSPCA alleges that the accused mistreated 20 cats by failing to provide them with adequate living conditions.
A 39-year-old woman is due before the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court charged with six counts of ill treatment of an animal in relation to six dogs allegedly found on her property in emaciated conditions. The woman entered guilty pleas during a court appearance on 21 January 2025 and is now awaiting sentencing decisions.
At a previous hearing the court granted the RSPCA's application that the dogs be forfeited to the Minister, and they have now been rehomed.
A 35-year-old Morphett Vale woman is due before the Christies Beach Magistrates Court to face two counts of ill-treatment of an animal.
The charges are in relation to two dogs found in emaciated condition. One of the dogs also had pressure sores on his hocks, a chronic ear infection and chronic untreated dental disease. Both dogs remain in protective custody with RSPCA SA.
A 40-year-old dog breeder from Aldinga Beach has a first appearance before the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on five counts of animal ill-treatment. The RSPCA seized three bulldogs and two French bulldogs from the woman due to them being emaciated.
A 25-year-old Hope Valley man is due to appear in the Adelaide Beach Magistrates Court charged with causing serious harm to a dog that resulted in injuries so severe the animal had to be humanely euthanised.
A 31-year-old woman from Berri is due to appear for the first time before the Berri Magistrates Court on an allegation that she failed to provide sufficient food and water for her dog after leaving the animal unattended when she went on holiday.
