A resident has been banned from owning a dog for a decade after 82 canines were rescued in what a judge described as a “heartbreaking” case.
The dogs were seized from the home in Perth’s east in October 2022 following an investigation by Swansea City Council.
The council received complaints about the number of dogs being kept on the property amid concerns for their welfare.
The resident appeared in Midland Magistrates’ Court in June charged with keeping the dogs on the property. Western Australia reported.
The offence relates to the registration and keeping of excessive dogs under the Planning and Development Act 2005 and the Dog Act 1976.
The resident was ordered to pay $95,000 in fines and was banned from owning a dog for 10 years.
The magistrate said the case was “heartbreaking”, while Swan City Mayor Tanya Richardson said the incident was “confrontational” for council staff.
Ms Richardson said she hoped the court’s ruling would deter people from committing similar offences.
The resident was banned from owning a dog for 10 years and ordered to pay $95,000 after concerns were raised about the dogs’ welfare (pictured, Wally the kelpie)
“This acts as a deterrent to others and also validates the thorough investigation and seizure process conducted by our staff,” Mayor Richardson said.
“This was a difficult case for our staff and I am particularly happy to know that 81 of these dogs were able to find a new home.”
The council also imposed fines of $80,000 for keeping the dogs on the property.
The dogs that were rescued by the council and RSPCA WA were treated and have since been rehomed as part of the council’s animal management facility.
Wally the kelpie, who was among the dogs rescued by the RSPCA, needed to have a leg amputated.
An RSPCA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that Wally had “high medical needs” and received veterinary treatment before being adopted in March 2023.
RSPCA WA rehomed 7,669 dogs between 2022 and 2023.
The latest case comes after the WA government passed the Stop Puppy Breeding Act in 2021.
The resident appeared at Midland Magistrates’ Court in June (pictured) charged with keeping more than 80 dogs on the property.
The law aims to better regulate dog breeding in the state and will give local councils more power to deal with irresponsible dog breeders.
Mayor Richardson said the council looks forward to seeing the new laws implemented.
“If anyone is aware of any activity involving dogs and believes it may not be authorized, we encourage them to contact the city so we can investigate,” she said.
The state government has also awarded IT services firm Seisma Group a $9.8 million contract to create a registration system for cats and dogs in WA.
The new system is expected to be fully installed by 2025.
