Cases scheduled for court hearings in November 2024
A 66-year-old man who pleaded guilty to five charges of animal ill treatment is due to before the Kadina Magistrates Court for sentencing. The charges concern four dogs allegedly found with serious medical issues which had not been treated by a veterinarian. Two of the dogs had to be euthanised and the other two were rehomed.
Two women, both aged 33, are due to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court after being jointly charged with five counts of animal ill-treatment. The charges relate to 16 cats and kittens, two Maremma dogs (one found in emaciated condition, the other thin and found locked inside a small crate) and two rabbits. All the animals were allegedly being kept in poor living conditions at a property in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. They remain in protective custody with RSPCA SA.
A 42-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, both of Morphett Vale, are due to appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court. The woman is charged with one count of breaching an existing order prohibiting her from owning or having custody of an animal, when she was allegedly found with two dogs, three cats and two lizards in her custody. The pair are charged jointly with four counts of ill-treating an animal by failing to provide food or water for the various animals.
A trial is scheduled in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court to decide charges against a 35-year-old Morphett Vale woman. The charges concern two dogs allegedly 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.
Three defendants were originally charged with three counts of ill-treating an animal by failing to obtain veterinary treatment for a dog. After negotiations, two defendants pleaded guilty and charges against a third were withdrawn. Submissions on sentencing will be heard in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court for the two remaining defendants.
A 25-year-old woman is due before the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on a charge of ill-treatment of an animal after she allegedly failed to provide adequate food and water for a dog.
The dog was found in a severely emaciated state at an Elizabeth Grove address in April this year. The defendant surrendered the dog to RSPCA SA, and he has now recovered and been rehomed.
A 71-year-old man is due to face the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with two counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to a cat that was injured in a steel-jaw trap. The defendant is further charged with breaching Animal Welfare Regulations for allegedly setting a steel jaw trap.
A 48-year-old woman is due to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court charged with failure to comply with a court order restricting the number of animals she is allowed to have in her care or custody. RSPCA SA inspectors attended at the woman’s Lewiston property on 17 October 2023 and seized 86 dogs and puppies, three rabbits and two guinea pigs. In August 2023, the woman was convicted on animal ill-treatment charges in relation to a Parrakie dog breeding facility that had more than 300 dogs and puppies. She received a three-month prison term, suspended on condition of a $500, three-year good behaviour bond.
A 38-year-old woman from Mt Gambier is due to face six counts of animal ill-treatment concerning six dogs that were all underweight. One was assessed as clinically emaciated, while the remainder were grossly underweight using the standardized Body Condition Score methodology.
A 42-year-old woman from Renmark is due to face 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 her care. The animals were found by an RSPCA inspector to be living in their own urine and faeces. The guinea pigs were surrendered and rehomed, but the cats were seized and remain in protective custody with RSPCA SA. The defendant is also charged with breaching an earlier order prohibiting her from owning animals due to prior offending against the Animal Welfare Act.
