A woman who was banned from owning dogs in Victoria has avoided imprisonment after more than 300 dogs were found on her Murray Mallee property, a court has heard.
Key points:
- Kerrie Fitzpatrick was found guilty of 16 animal cruelty offences
- She was fined $5,000 and her three-month imprisonment was suspended
- She had more than 300 dogs at her Parrakie property
Kerrie Maree Fitzpatrick was fined $5,000 and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment suspended on a $500 good behaviour bond after she was found guilty of 16 animal cruelty offences.
The 48-year-old was also ordered to pay the prosecutions’ legal costs of more than $20,000.
During an RSPCA investigation in 2018, Fitzpatrick was found to have more than 300 animals at her Parrakie property in South Australia’s Murray Mallee.
In his verdict, Magistrate Karim Soetratma said RSPCA inspectors found “thick piles of faeces” under an elevated working dog kennel and dogs found drooling and trembling on property.
The judgement detailed how some dogs appeared to have behavioural issues and suffering from anxiety disorders, a five-week-old pup was found “possibly born with no eyes” while several dogs had health conditions.
The court also heard the inspector found a large shed where “there was no water in the pens, nowhere clean for the dogs to stand” and “dogs sitting in empty containers in order to get off the mesh”.
Fitzpatrick had been banned from keeping any dogs in Victoria for 20 years since 2017, the court previously heard.
RSPCA South Australia’s Andrew Lewis said stronger animal welfare regulations are required in the state.
“Given the weakness of our current laws, it’s little wonder that breeders are continuing to cross the border to SA to avoid significantly stronger laws in other states,” Ms Lewis said.
“And we have around 4,800 registered companion animal breeders who — under current laws – have just had to register online, pay $75 and comply with some vaguely worded, difficult to enforce standards in order to run legal businesses.
“Of course, many breeders are running very professional businesses that prioritise their animals’ welfare, but there is a minority whose motivation to make money comes at the expense of their animals’ wellbeing.”
In January, the South Australian government and the RSPCA launched the first review into the state’s Animal Welfare Act in 15 years.
Fitzpatrick has been prohibited to have no more than two dogs, four rabbits and seven budgerigars currently in her care.