j Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) Also reported in the Illawarra mercury http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES - Nowra Local Court An East Nowra woman failed to appear in Nowra Local Court on Friday, 1st March, and was convicted on three charges of animal cruelty involving a female Wolfhound and her pups and one charge of obstruction of officers in the course of their duty. A warrant for her arrest was issued by the Court. On Tuesday 2 October, 2012 two RSPCA Inspectors attended a property in East Nowra in relation to a complaint and observed a female Wolfhound-cross dog in poor body condition, with hips and ribs prominent. A rotten smell emanated from the mother dog and she also displayed signs of flea burden. The dog was tethered to a tree by a four-metre length of chain. The mother was suckling five pups approximately five days old. The pups were lying in dirt and covered with a dirty blanket. Inspectors informed the owner that the mother and her pups were to be seized at which time the woman became aggressive and demanded they leave the property. After refusing to hand over the animals, Police were called and the mother and her pups were placed in the rear of an RSPCA vehicle and taken for veterinary treatment. Examination revealed the mother to be severely underweight with a body condition of 1 out of 5. She also had a uterine infection, severe flea burden and a faecal test showed positive for hookworm. The pups were in good body condition. The woman did not appear in Court today so the matter was dealt with ex parte. On the three charges of failing to provide veterinary treatment she was found guilty and a section 25 warrant was issued for her arrest. To the charge of obstructing the RSPCA officers she was found guilty, fined $1,000, ordered to pay costs of $14,842.14 and custody of the mother and five pups was awarded to RSPCA. All charges are under NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Regulation More Great follow up story by the Illawarra Mercury on a cruelty case prosecution from Nowra last week you may remember: http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo are now undergoing rehabilitation (with extra cuddles) and are well on the way to being happy and health Wolfhounds. "If you picture what may have happened to some of these animals, regaining their trust and getting them to a point where we can actually work with them can be quite difficult, but it's a worthwhile endeavour," says RSPCA veterinary behaviourist Dr Amanda Cole. "Gradually, we just make humans a positive and fun thing for them and we'll retrain their brain to anticipate good things from humans, as opposed to what they've previously been exposed to when a human is around, " Owner Suzette Brignell was last week found guilty in her absence in Nowra Local Court of animal cruelty charges and has been ordered to pay nearly $15,000 in fines. A warrant is now out for her arrest. Edited March 8, 2013 by j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Five pups plus one mum = six dogs. Only four had a happy ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneH Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I presumed from the story, that these are the 5 pups - 'Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo', with no mention of the mum dog. Pups at five days old - why do they need retraining ? All they need is care and love ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Maybe the mum dog didn't pass the RSPCA "temperament testing"... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trisven13 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 And whilst her condition is poor I've personally been involved in the care of dogs who were in far worse condition and where the RSPCA refused to prosecute. Doesn't sound to me like Mum made it out alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 It says custody of the mum and five pups was awarded to the RSPCA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonka1 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Me too Trisven. If that's a pic of the mum when she was seized, she's nowhere near as bad as an emaciated bitch that RSPCA said was "a bit thin" and refused to take any action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I'm not defending the RSPCA's treatment of other cases, but really, even if she'd had fair body weight, tied to a tree by a chain with a flea and worm infestation and a uterine infection plus pups in the dirt is not on. And if she was PTS for temp, while I'm not a huge fan of the RSPCA temp tests, I've seen enough Wolfhound mixes to know that often the temperament is beyond the average person and there are no shortage of them looking for homes. Maybe it's because I managed to run into more than the usual number of pigging utes in town yesterday, two with manifestly miserable looking dogs squished into cages too small for them but my sympathy for these people is basically zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 It's an important aspect to remember SSM - many of pigging bred dogs are not pet material. They are neither bred nor raised to be. I am glad the court took the matter seriously though. The medical issues and general keeping sound pretty woeful, and certainly compounded by the bitch being underweight. There are five names mentioned in the follow up article: Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo . So maybe it's the mum that's not mentioned. Maybe she was pts, maybe she was adopted internally, maybe she is still not available. Jumping to conclusions and presumptions is pointless. Anyone really concerned could ring the RSPCA concerned and simply enquire. They may or may not tell. I do wish they wouldn't call them Wolfhounds. They are crossbreds. Maybe I'm pedantic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 (edited) I for one am glad they slapped the owner with a noteworthy fine. Wish it happened more often, hitting them in the wallet is the only way to make those kind of people care. If the government wants to fund raise, maybe they should concentrate on these kind of cases, rather than inventing new taxes and raising old ones to get back into the black.... Edited March 9, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I for one am glad they slapped the owner with a noteworthy fine. Wish it happened more often, hitting them in the wallet is the only way to make those kind of people care. If the government wants to fund raise, maybe they should concentrate on these kind of cases, rather than inventing new taxes and raising old ones to get back into the black.... I think the RSPCA gets the fines to cover their expenses not the government. What a miserable existence for those animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I for one am glad they slapped the owner with a noteworthy fine. Wish it happened more often, hitting them in the wallet is the only way to make those kind of people care. If the government wants to fund raise, maybe they should concentrate on these kind of cases, rather than inventing new taxes and raising old ones to get back into the black.... I dont understand what you mean. The fine was one thousand. The bulk was legal costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I do wish they wouldn't call them Wolfhounds. They are crossbreds. Maybe I'm pedantic... I'm joining you in the pedant corner. A good lurcher or longdog can be both beautiful and functional in the right hands so I am not putting mixed breeds down, but these are not Wolfhounds and it's misleading to call them Wolfhounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Maybe they should increase fines and make them payable to the government then. I bet the person who has to pay the bill doesn't care if it was legal fees or fines, either way they have to pay up or declare themselves bankrupt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamone Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Also reported in the Illawarra mercury http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES - Nowra Local Court An East Nowra woman failed to appear in Nowra Local Court on Friday, 1st March, and was convicted on three charges of animal cruelty involving a female Wolfhound and her pups and one charge of obstruction of officers in the course of their duty. A warrant for her arrest was issued by the Court. On Tuesday 2 October, 2012 two RSPCA Inspectors attended a property in East Nowra in relation to a complaint and observed a female Wolfhound-cross dog in poor body condition, with hips and ribs prominent. A rotten smell emanated from the mother dog and she also displayed signs of flea burden. The dog was tethered to a tree by a four-metre length of chain. The mother was suckling five pups approximately five days old. The pups were lying in dirt and covered with a dirty blanket. Inspectors informed the owner that the mother and her pups were to be seized at which time the woman became aggressive and demanded they leave the property. After refusing to hand over the animals, Police were called and the mother and her pups were placed in the rear of an RSPCA vehicle and taken for veterinary treatment. Examination revealed the mother to be severely underweight with a body condition of 1 out of 5. She also had a uterine infection, severe flea burden and a faecal test showed positive for hookworm. The pups were in good body condition. The woman did not appear in Court today so the matter was dealt with ex parte. On the three charges of failing to provide veterinary treatment she was found guilty and a section 25 warrant was issued for her arrest. To the charge of obstructing the RSPCA officers she was found guilty, fined $1,000, ordered to pay costs of $14,842.14 and custody of the mother and five pups was awarded to RSPCA. All charges are under NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Regulation More Great follow up story by the Illawarra Mercury on a cruelty case prosecution from Nowra last week you may remember: http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo are now undergoing rehabilitation (with extra cuddles) and are well on the way to being happy and health Wolfhounds. "If you picture what may have happened to some of these animals, regaining their trust and getting them to a point where we can actually work with them can be quite difficult, but it's a worthwhile endeavour," says RSPCA veterinary behaviourist Dr Amanda Cole. "Gradually, we just make humans a positive and fun thing for them and we'll retrain their brain to anticipate good things from humans, as opposed to what they've previously been exposed to when a human is around, " Owner Suzette Brignell was last week found guilty in her absence in Nowra Local Court of animal cruelty charges and has been ordered to pay nearly $15,000 in fines. A warrant is now out for her arrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamone Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 (edited) Also reported in the Illawarra mercury http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES - Nowra Local Court An East Nowra woman failed to appear in Nowra Local Court on Friday, 1st March, and was convicted on three charges of animal cruelty involving a female Wolfhound and her pups and one charge of obstruction of officers in the course of their duty. A warrant for her arrest was issued by the Court. On Tuesday 2 October, 2012 two RSPCA Inspectors attended a property in East Nowra in relation to a complaint and observed a female Wolfhound-cross dog in poor body condition, with hips and ribs prominent. A rotten smell emanated from the mother dog and she also displayed signs of flea burden. The dog was tethered to a tree by a four-metre length of chain. The mother was suckling five pups approximately five days old. The pups were lying in dirt and covered with a dirty blanket. Inspectors informed the owner that the mother and her pups were to be seized at which time the woman became aggressive and demanded they leave the property. After refusing to hand over the animals, Police were called and the mother and her pups were placed in the rear of an RSPCA vehicle and taken for veterinary treatment. Examination revealed the mother to be severely underweight with a body condition of 1 out of 5. She also had a uterine infection, severe flea burden and a faecal test showed positive for hookworm. The pups were in good body condition. The woman did not appear in Court today so the matter was dealt with ex parte. On the three charges of failing to provide veterinary treatment she was found guilty and a section 25 warrant was issued for her arrest. To the charge of obstructing the RSPCA officers she was found guilty, fined $1,000, ordered to pay costs of $14,842.14 and custody of the mother and five pups was awarded to RSPCA. All charges are under NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Regulation More Great follow up story by the Illawarra Mercury on a cruelty case prosecution from Nowra last week you may remember: http://www.rspcansw.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/animal-cruelty-charges-nowra-local-court.html Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo are now undergoing rehabilitation (with extra cuddles) and are well on the way to being happy and health Wolfhounds. "If you picture what may have happened to some of these animals, regaining their trust and getting them to a point where we can actually work with them can be quite difficult, but it's a worthwhile endeavour," says RSPCA veterinary behaviourist Dr Amanda Cole. "Gradually, we just make humans a positive and fun thing for them and we'll retrain their brain to anticipate good things from humans, as opposed to what they've previously been exposed to when a human is around, " Owner Suzette Brignell was last week found guilty in her absence in Nowra Local Court of animal cruelty charges and has been ordered to pay nearly $15,000 in fines. A warrant is now out for her arrest. On appeal in Nowra local court on 12th April 2013, the fine was increased to over $17700 and she was given a 12 month good behaviour bond. Edited April 16, 2013 by Tamone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Glad the fine was increased but the moron deserved a decent stretch in jail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I presumed from the story, that these are the 5 pups - 'Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo', with no mention of the mum dog. Pups at five days old - why do they need retraining ? All they need is care and love ! The article said "rehabilitate" which is a bit odd, as the pups were earlier in the article, stated to be in good body condition. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 How can the rspca justify 15,000 bucks in court costs for an ex parte matter that probably took less than ten minutes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I presumed from the story, that these are the 5 pups - 'Dutch, Billie, Jasmine, Milo and Leo', with no mention of the mum dog. Pups at five days old - why do they need retraining ? All they need is care and love ! The article said "rehabilitate" which is a bit odd, as the pups were earlier in the article, stated to be in good body condition. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I wondered about this too. The artilce mentioned regaining their trust, but I would imagine 5 day old pups wouldn't even have their eyes and ears open, I dont see why they need to regain their trust when they wouldn't have learnt to be distrustful, apart from normal puppy instinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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