Published on stuff.co.nz Nov 6 2017
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/98585424/court-disqualfies-waikato-woman-from-owning-animals-for-five-years
Court disqualifies Waikato woman from owning animals for five years
A Waikato woman will not be allowed to own animals for five years after failing to treat injured animals in her care.
SPCA Inspectors and veterinarians visited Lai Toy’s Waharoa property between July 8 and August 3, 2015, where they found several animals that had to be put down.
They included a goat with a right front leg fracture after it was allegedly hit by a car. Treatment was ruled out and euthanasia was recommended.
Details of the incident were presented to the Hamilton District Council on Wednesday.
Toy was found guilty on several counts of failing to ensure animals in her care received treatment and was sentenced to 300 hours of community work and nine months of supervision, including attendance of any programmes recommended by probation.
Toy was ordered to pay $2000 reparations, $500 towards legal costs and to forfeit ownership of two cats to the SPCA Waikato.
Inspectors also reported they found a cow with an eye injury on Toy’s property, owned by Toy’s associate, Billy Tui.
Tui was convicted of failing to provide veterinary treatment that alleviated pain or distress being suffered by the cow on September 25, 2017.
Veterinary examination revealed the cow had a growth consistent with a sun-induced cancer, affecting the lower eyelid, with severe inflammation and infection of the upper and lower eyelids.
The vet concluded the cow would have been in severe pain for weeks.
Irritation from pain, discharging fluid, and insects would have caused additional distress, and the poor body condition of the cow indicated prolonged stress.
Euthanasia was recommended.
A black-and-white domestic short hair cat seized under a search warrant was found by a vet to be underweight and dehydrated, suffering from kidney disease and severe painful dental disease, and displayed obvious lameness when walking.
X-rays confirmed two untreated fractures to the right hind leg estimated to have been present for at least eight weeks, possibly longer.
When the fracture occurred, it would have been obvious the cat had a serious injury and veterinary treatment should have been provided immediately.
The cat was euthanased.
Further cats were seized, three of which were found to be suffering from two forms of oral disease. Since treatment, two of the cats have been under the care of SPCA Waikato and were available for adoption.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said she was pleased the sentence included appropriate treatment and supervision to prevent reoffending.
“With some offenders, education doesn’t work and reoffending is highly likely, and we’re pleased this sentence recognises this and is tailored to the offender with the aim of effectively reducing reoffending,” said Midgen.
“Our challenge is securing meaningful sentences for offenders who have unacceptable attitudes or misguided beliefs regarding animal welfare. At the end of the day, we support any measures that give offenders access to appropriate treatment and supervision to prevent reoffending and save innocent animals from harm.”