40-year-old Port Kennedy man convicted of animal cruelty

A Port Kennedy man has been convicted of animal cruelty and banned from owning a pet for five years after leaving his badly injured Siberian husky puppy with untreated broken bones.

He was also fined $7500 and ordered to pay over $400 in vet and legal costs after the puppy was put down due to its poor long-term prognosis from injuries that included a shattered right femur and significant bone remodelling in the thigh bone socket joint, indicating injury was four to six weeks old.

The four-month-old husky was also found to have a fractured fore foot, eye haemorrhage and shortened, curled whiskers as if burnt.

The court heard an RSPCA WA inspector attended the man’s home in September 2022 and saw the dog, Milly, hiding down the side of the sofa.

The inspector told the 40-year-old man to seek treatment for the puppy after observing she was in pain.

At a vet examination later that day, the inspector was told the right eye haemorrhage suggested blunt force trauma.

The man appeared in Rockingham Magistrates Court last Thursday via video link from Albany Regional Prison, where he is serving an unrelated sentence.

In sentencing, Magistrate Brian Mahon said he was “absolutely satisfied that (Milly) did suffer” and the man “exposed an animal to pain and unnecessary suffering”.

RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green said it was dreadful to know how much pain Milly was in.

“The poor little thing had spent at least a quarter of her short life with untreated fractures and in pain,” she said.

“A dog should be treated with love, care and respect. Despite her life being short and tragic, I’m pleased we got some justice for Milly.”