A landholder in the Shire of Toodyay was fined $18,000 in Perth Magistrates Court this week after pleading guilty to four charges of cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2002, relating to two rams with ingrown horns.
A court order was also imposed, prohibiting the landholder from being a person in charge of livestock until 2021 unless certain conditions are met. These include restricting the number of livestock to be kept and reporting each month to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on the animals in his care.
For each animal, the landholder was convicted of failing to take reasonable steps to alleviate harm, and transporting the sheep in a way which caused, or was likely to cause, unnecessary harm. He was ordered to pay legal costs of $12,367.
The convictions relate to events in December 2014, when a department inspector noted the injured rams during an inspection at the Muchea Livestock Centre.
The ingrown horn had penetrated the eye of one ram, and had caused a 2cm skull depression in the other animal.
Department principal compliance inspector Charlotte McIntyre said the conviction sent a clear message that anyone keeping animals was required to continually monitor them to identify any potential animal welfare issues.
“It is reasonable to expect that ingrown horns such as these should have been identified and treated in accordance with the Code of Practice for Sheep in Western Australia,” Ms McIntyre said.
“In addition, all animals to be transported should be inspected to ensure they are fit to travel. Transporting unwell or injured animals is likely to cause additional, unnecessary harm.”
For more information about the department’s animal welfare responsibilities, visit www.agric.wa.gov.au/animalwelfare
To report suspected cruelty to animals, contact the RSPCA on +61 (0)8 9209 9300 or 1300 278 3589 (emergencies only).
Media contacts:
Jodie Thomson, media liaison +61 (0)8 9368 3937