Upcoming court cases for July + Woman escapes conviction for chronic neglect of horses

June 30, 2022

A woman from Adelaide’s northern suburbs who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges relating to four horses and a pony escaped conviction in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court but was ordered to pay RSPCA South Australia $21,134 towards the costs the charity incurred in caring for the animals.

The defendant was also ordered to pay $2000 in legal costs. (RSPCA SA had sought $42,268 the organisation has paid out to external service providers for veterinary care, feed and agistment along with $3000 in legal fees.)

When taken into RSPCA SA’s care in March 2021, the animals were underweight and had swallowed large quantities of sand. Due to these concerns, Ms Smith sought an order prohibiting the defendant from acquiring more horses, until further order. Magistrate David White imposed an 18-month good behaviour bond, without conviction, and prohibited the defendant from acquiring more horses for 18 months.

His Honour ordered that the three horses in RSPCA care be returned to the defendant, with their ongoing care supervised by RSPCA for 18 months. The horses will be kept at a property in Adelaide’s north that is owned by a vet. The defendant is employed by the vet as a veterinary nurse and works at the property where she attends daily

Seven cases before the courts this July

A woman from Adelaide’s western suburbs is due to face the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court to face 14 charges of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to five dogs, four puppies and two cats. Five of the animals were allegedly found in emaciated conditions and all the animals were allegedly being kept in inadequate living conditions, with some having no shelter and others confined to a bathroom.

A woman from Adelaide’s western suburbs is facing three counts of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to a dog, found emaciated and deceased in a backyard, and a cat and a kitten found inside a unit in allegedly squalid living conditions. She is due in the Adelaide Magistrates Court next month.

A man from Adelaide’s north-eastern suburbs will face the Mount Barker Magistrates Court charged with intentionally, unreasonably and recklessly causing harm to a native bird, resulting in its death.

A Port Augusta couple will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with ill-treatment of an animal after their dog was found wandering the streets in emaciated condition and suffering from an advanced and untreatable disease. The eight-year-old male American Staffordshire Terrier cross was humanely euthanised.

Two female defendants from a regional town north of Adelaide are due to return to the Adelaide Magistrates Court to face cruelty charges relating to a large number of dogs, cats, native animals and birds found in poor condition and being kept in squalid conditions. Most of the animals recovered and were rehomed after the defendants surrendered them.

A mother and daughter from a regional town north-east of Adelaide are due to face the Port Adelaide Magistrates court on charges of animal neglect after their six horses were found emaciated without access to feed.  The six horses were surrendered to the RSPCA but two of the horses had untreated health issues with one so severe that it had to be put down.

A couple from a regional town south-east of Adelaide are due to face the Berri Magistrates court on charges of animal ill-treatment in relation to three dogs and six puppies being allegedly kept in squalid conditions inside a small, disused toilet block. The female defendant is also charged with breaching a 2018 court order that prohibited her from acquiring more cats.


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