Animal welfare authorities in South Australia are saying that a recent case involving awful breeding and hoarding of animals highlights the need for stronger laws to protect animals.
The RSPCA has shared pictures of over 100 animals that were living in really bad conditions before they were taken from a property in South Australia’s Mid North region.
Among the animals taken were dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, native birds, possums, and a bettong.
The RSPCA said that three animals—two dogs and the bettong—were so sick that they had to be put down because they were suffering from many health problems.
The RSPCA’s inspectors first went to the property on November 3, 2020, after getting a report about cruelty. They found dogs, cats in cages, and native animals living in a house filled with rubbish, feces, and ammonia. The house didn’t even have electricity.
In one part of the property, inspectors found 11 kangaroos. One of them had a leg that was bent or twisted because it had been broken, according to the RSPCA.
The animals were treated because they had infections and their fur was tangled and messy.
During the first inspection, vets examined and took more than 60 dogs, 11 cats and kittens, a possum, a bettong, a wattle bird, and a magpie from the property. The RSPCA said that 32 dogs had really bad dental problems with pus coming out of their mouths and needed to have their teeth taken out. Some dogs even had all their teeth removed. One dog needed part of its jaw removed, another had an eye taken out because of an ulcer caused by long hair in its eyes, and another had a leg cut off.
Other animals were treated for things like bad ear infections, tangled fur, and nails that had grown too long.
The RSPCA also said that out of the 11 cats they took, three had really bad dental issues, and one had an ear infection.
RSPCA inspectors went back to the property on November 10, 2020, this time with the police. They found a lot of animals there that were not well.
There was a goat with a broken leg, a mule with a really big stomach, a brushtail possum stuck in a wooden box, and turtles kept in small tanks without anywhere dry to go.
During this visit, they took more than 20 dogs, two possums, two galahs, and a corella from the property.
The RSPCA said it cost $46,000 to treat and take care of all the animals.
RSPCA calls for tougher welfare laws
On Tuesday, the women admitted they were guilty in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court. They admitted to 11 charges of hurting animals under the Animal Welfare Act.
The two women got a suspended jail sentence for three months and 18 days. They were also put on a good behavior bond for two years, where they have to pay $500.
The judge, Edward Stratton-Smith, told the women they can’t have more than one pet each.
The RSPCA said in a statement that this case shows that South Australia’s rules for breeders aren’t stopping people who treat animals badly. They want the law to change, and they’re hoping for changes when South Australia reviews the Animal Welfare Act.
The head inspector of RSPCA SA, Andrew Baker, said this was one of the worst cases of hoarding animals they’ve ever seen.
“These people were officially registered as breeders and had previously sold puppies to pet stores,” Mr. Baker said in a statement from the RSPCA.
A spokesperson for Environment Minister Susan Close said that the state government is looking at the Animal Welfare Act to make sure the laws are good enough for what people want.
“The ideas include making the current laws stronger to give harsher punishments to people who hurt animals,” the spokesperson said.
“The government is also thinking about making new rules that would stop people from having animals while they’re waiting to go to court for hurting animals.”
