A Nowra woman has been banned from owning any animal for five years after starving two dogs, which were rescued by the RSPCA in May.
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The male dogs, both Staffordshire terrier crosses, were dehydrated, had intestinal parasites and weighed 11.1 and 12.3 kilograms when the RSPCA took them into care.
Sheena Williams faced Nowra Local Court on Friday on two counts of animal cruelty for her treatment of the two dogs.
Williams of East Nowra admitted to the RSPCA that neither dog had seen a vet.
An RSPCA spokesperson said the dogs were found in “very poor body condition with ribs, hips and vertebrae all very visible”.
A concerned neighbour alerted animal welfare to the dogs.
“The dogs were found emaciated with very high worm burdens,” the spokesman said.
“Inspectors spoke to a male at the residence (when confiscating the dogs) who said that he had run out of food and was feeding them scraps.
“He contacted Ms Williams to advise her the dogs were being seized and she immediately asked to surrender the younger black and white dog, but not the tan, older dog.”
The RSPCA took both dogs to a vet who found they were both dehydrated, with fecal samples showing mostly grass and containing a high level of whipworm and strongyloid eggs.
The tan dog weighed just 11.1kg, which is a body score of 1.5/5, while the black juvenile weighed 12.3kg with a body score of 1/5.
The dogs were given wet food and put on intravenous fluids overnight.
In court on August 18, Magistrate Gabriel Fleming convicted Williams, banned her from owning animals for five years, ordered her to pay vet bills of $416.80 and put her on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
The dogs have since recovered and been rehomed.
Emily Barton
Emily Barton is a Producer at The Canberra Times.
Emily Barton is a Producer at The Canberra Times.
