A 36-year-old man has been fined $9000 and banned from owning a dog for five years after being convicted of animal cruelty offences.
The man, who was from Orelia, but now lives in South Australia appeared in the Rockingham Magistrates Court on Monday on charges relating to his five-year-old Great Dane named Redley.
WA Police made a cruelty report to the RSPCA in April 2019 after attending the man's property and seeing Redley in poor shape with his ribs, spine and hips protruding.
Two RSPCA inspectors went to the property where they seized Redley and another dog after seeing the condition they were in.
The offender told inspectors he thought Redley was sick, but he couldn’t afford to take him to the vet.
He claimed he was trying to ‘build him back up’ and denied that Redley missed meals, claiming to feed him once or twice a day.
Redley was taken to Baldivis Vet Clinic where he had to be sedated to be examined due to severe aggression.
A vet determined Redley had suffered from prolonged starvation and was extremely emaciated as a result, with severe muscle wastage over his entire body.
He also had an ear infection, hip dysplasia and a flea infection.
Despite treatment and care by the RSPCA for over a month, Redley had to be euthanised.
RSPCA WA Executive Manager Animal and Enforcement Operations Hannah Dreaver said Redley’s vet reports showed the true extent of his suffering.
“Redley had no body fat deposits at all—none—and minimal muscle,” Hannah said.
“His blood and faecal samples showed he was close to being anaemic and had low blood proteins which are the signs you see in anorexia and starvation.
“Redley was meant to be a loved pet. Instead he was left to starve and suffer over a long period of time.
“The sheer neglect is hard to comprehend. Please, if you can’t look after your animals, ask for help.”
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