A STRATTON mother and daughter, aged 67 and 48, have been convicted of animal cruelty over the younger woman’s puppy who was suffering from serious skin and eye infections.

Both were also convicted of failing to comply with a written direction from an RSPCA WA inspector, and the daughter for threatening and abusing an inspector.

The older offender was fined $3000 and her daughter $5000 and each has been banned from being in charge of an animal for two years and ordered to pay $4671 in costs.

Midland Magistrates Court heard RSPCA WA received a cruelty report about the male Shar-pei cross named Brutus in March.

An inspector attended the address and saw 10-month-old Brutus – his eyes were swollen and covered in a thick yellow discharge causing him to squint and struggling to open his right eye.

He also had large red lesions all over his body and patches of missing fur.

The older offender was subsequently given a written direction to take Brutus to a vet and follow all advice and instructions.

The order was not complied with and the younger offender confirmed she could take Brutus to a vet and was subsequently issued a written direction to do so, including that all advice and instructions were followed.

Brutus was taken to see a vet, but the required, prescribed medications were not collected or given to the puppy.

The younger offender was told she could surrender Brutus to RSPCA WA if she was unable to meet his needs to which she responded with threats and verbal abuse.

Brutus was subsequently seized and taken to the RSPCA in Malaga. A vet examination found he was suffering from severe, chronic mange; a secondary skin infection from the mange; and a severe, chronic form of entropion which causes the eyelids to roll inwards in both eyes.

After extensive treatment by RSPCA WA, including three surgeries for his eye condition, Brutus has since recovered in foster care.

In sentencing, Magistrate Matthew Holgate said Brutus was suffering from “chronic [and] painful” conditions and that the offending constituted “neglect and failure to get that proper treatment for him so he was not in pain”.

“Animals can’t tell you what their problems are… they rely upon you to look after them.”

Inspector Manager Kylie Green said the conditions Brutus was suffering from were extremely serious.

“It’s shocking to think how long he was left in such a state, enduring pain and discomfort,” she said.

“The physical signs of just how unwell he was were clear for anyone to see – he should have received appropriate treatment long before RSPCA WA stepped in.”

Both offenders were convicted under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 and the younger woman was also convicted for abusing and threatening an RSPCA WA inspector.