A Shepparton man has faced court on animal cruelty charges after his horses and ponies were found to be injured and starved over a prolonged period.
The man pleaded guilty at Shepparton Magistrates’ Court last week to several charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The charges included unreasonably failing to provide veterinary or other appropriate attention or treatment to animals, failing to provide the animals with proper and sufficient food, and confining animals where the confinement of the animal caused or was likely to cause unreasonable pain and suffering to those animals.
In 2021, RSPCA Victoria received a report from a community member alleging there were several underweight horses on the property.
RSPCA inspectors attended on numerous occasions and observed insufficient pasture to sustain the number of horses, and three dogs living in squalid conditions without sufficient water.
Inspectors subsequently seized several animals.
A vet noted one pony had been suffering for an extended period, with a post-mortem examination confirming a broken shoulder, which was untreated for at least eight weeks.
The court was told another vet said one of the horses was observed with a heavy parasite burden and malnutrition, and said it would have taken weeks to get into such poor condition.
The man was fined $4500 and disqualified from owning dogs and horses for two years.
He was also ordered to pay the RSPCA’s court costs.
RSPCA Victoria north-east region inspectorate team leader Michelle Green said this case was another example of the neglect inspectors encountered daily across the state.
“Unfortunately, this type of animal cruelty is seen regularly by our teams, and no animal deserves to suffer like these horses and dogs did,” she said.