7/28/2019 RSPCA at Bateman's Bay 3

1/2

7/28/2019 RSPCA at Bateman's Bay 3

2/2

pleading guilty to eight charges of committing acts of animal cruelty upon multiple animals.

Charges were laid under the NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Regulations after an RSPCinvestigation of complaints about the welfare of cats at her home last December.

Four RSPCA Inspectors and a veterinarian obtained a search warrant to enter and assess the condition ofanimals inside her home.

They seized animals including 49 cats and kittens, seven dogs, 12 puppies, 11 rabbits, five roosters andfive birds.

QuickTime and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Treated by veterinarians, all animals were reported to have suffered severe neglect and deprivation.

The RSPCA described the stench of the house as toxic with years of accumulated animal urine, faeces,and contaminated rubbish.

Many of the animals were living in small filthy cages, some stacked upon others. Their food and water wascontaminated with urine, faeces, dirt and fur.

Dead animals were embedded in mounds of contaminated rubbish on the floor, in cages and in the outsidecattery.

Officers reported there was no evidence of any attempt to clean or maintain a reasonable standard ofhygiene in the animal cages, cattery or aviaries.

In most cases newspaper was layered over the top of soiled paper to depths of up to 30cm.

Ms Shepheard was convicted and placed on a three year good behavior bond.

Magistrate Degnan prohibited her from owning animals for 10 years with the exception of a desexed dogand a cat.

The bond includes a condition to allow RSPCA officers to inspect her property to ensure Ms Shepheard iscomplying with the prohibition order.