Couple banned from owning pets for a decade after dog was rotting & infested with maggots

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

In a case of extreme neglect, a dog was left stinking of rotting flesh and infested with maggots by his owners, who have been banned from owning animals for a decade and fined $10,000 collectively.

A 73-year-old woman and a 67-year-old-man’s pet Bichon Frise Pepe endured “severe pain” due to what a Rockingham magistrate labelled an “extraordinary example of neglect”.

On October 9, 2022, RSPCA WA received a cruelty report from a City of Rockingham ranger about a “stray” 14-year-old male Bichon Frise.

Pepe was in “very poor condition”’ smelled foul, had infected teeth and matted hair over his legs, paws and face.

He screamed when touched during a vet examination and his coat was covered in 8-10cm mats with prickles, grass seeds, and sticks embedded throughout.

Pepe could not see properly due to the matting on his face and his teeth were black and rotten.

The vet said he smelled like rotting flesh due to multiple skin infections and maggot infestations.

Pepe received pain relief before being put down.

When interviewed by an RSPCA WA inspector, the male offender said they had owned Pepe for about eight years and admitted to failing to take Pepe to a vet, despite being aware there was something “obviously wrong”.

Magistrate Keane told the Hillman couple that they could have surrendered the dog.

“Anyone would know within our community that there are people willing to take on the rescue of small fluffy white dogs,” she said.

“You chose a death sentence for this dog whose final months and at least years must have involved incredible suffering.”

RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green agreed, saying there was no excuse for Pepe’s prolonged suffering.

“Time and again we urge people who find they are no longer able to care for their animals to reach out before their pets suffer needlessly,” she said.

The offenders were found to have been cruel to Pepe in that they allowed him to suffer harm that could have been alleviated by taking reasonable steps.

Richard Alexander Percy and Milica Mijadzevic were fined $5000 and ordered to pay costs of $530. Both were banned from owning domestic animals for ten years.

Report animal cruelty to the RSPCA 24/7 on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or at rspcawa.org.au