A 32-year-old Port Hedland man has been charged with animal cruelty over his dog which was described as "skin and bones" with open wounds riddled with "hundreds and hundreds of maggots".
An attendee at the accused's address in September 2024 reported the condition of the dog to Town of Port Hedland rangers, saying the wounds were so severe he could see the dog's ribs and organs in one of them.
Ranger services made a cruelty report to RSPCA WA. An inspector contacted a ranger that same day who advised the dog had passed away. The ranger advised there was no indication that the dog had been provided with first aid or veterinary treatment.
The RSPCA WA inspector requested the assistance of the ranger to attend the property to seize the dog's body due to suspected offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.
An examination of the dog's body by a local vet revealed the dog had passed away in the last three hours.
The vet said the majority of the dog's torso was covered in a very large number of live maggots, ranging from 1mm to 3mm in length. He also had a large number of live maggots crawling through open wounds, as well as in his nasal and oral cavities. The vet concluded the dog would have suffered as a result of the presence of the large number of maggots.
In total, the vet noted six deep wounds that appeared to have been made with a knife or other sharp object.
The vet reported stated the dog died from multiple organ failure and sepsis due to the open wounds; he was malnourished and underweight with a body condition score of 3/10; and if veterinary assistance had been sought, the dog's wounds could have been successfully treated.
The accused has been charged under section 19(1) and 19(3)(h) of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. RSPCA WA will allege he was cruel to the dog in that the dog suffered harm which could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps.
The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison.
The charge will be heard in South Hedland Magistrates Court on 5 February 2025.
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.
