A Mandurah magistrate has handed down a significant penalty to a local man after his elderly Great Dane was discovered in a state of such severe neglect that RSPCA inspectors initially believed the animal was dead.
Shocking Discovery in Falcon Backyard
On Friday, Timothy Jason Lee of Dawesville was fined $5000 in the Mandurah Magistrates Court and banned from owning any animals for five years. The court heard he pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable steps to prevent an animal from suffering harm.
The case centred on his 12-year-old Great Dane, Mia. RSPCA WA prosecutor Hayley McQueen detailed how an inspector responded to a cruelty report about an emaciated dog at a property in Falcon. Upon arrival, the inspector saw Mia lying in the backyard and, due to her skeletal state, thought she was deceased.
A Catalogue of Suffering and Neglect
When Mia eventually stood, she was unsteady and nearly collapsed. She was immediately seized and taken to the RSPCA facility in Malaga for assessment.
The veterinary examination revealed a harrowing list of ailments caused by long-term neglect. Mia was severely emaciated, dehydrated, and covered in fleas, which had caused dermatitis. She also had an ear infection, painful arthritis that hindered her movement, and multiple untreated skin lumps.
Further tests diagnosed her with megaesophagus, a condition that disrupts the passage of food to the stomach, recurrent pneumonia, severe stomach swelling, masses on her spleen and colon, and heart and lung changes consistent with chronic dehydration and poor health.
On a body condition scale where 1 is the worst and 10 is ideal, Mia scored a devastating 0.5. Her condition was described as the poorest ever witnessed by RSPCA WA inspectors. Due to the severity and cumulative impact of her diseases, the difficult decision was made to euthanise her to end her suffering.
Court Hears Excuses, Magistrate Emphasises Responsibility
Lee, represented by duty lawyer Clare Hay, told the court he had not taken Mia to a vet since she was about six or seven years old, stating the last visit "cost me a lot". His lawyer cited significant personal upheavals, including estrangement from his son and the deaths of his mother and grandmother, alongside financial difficulties and a lack of transport.
However, Magistrate Jennifer Hawkins condemned the offence as "extremely serious". She stated it was a "very poor example of someone not giving proper attention to your pet that you’ve had in your family for a very long time".
"Animals are vulnerable and they rely on people to support them," Magistrate Hawkins said, adding that concerns about cost or not knowing what to do did not alleviate an owner's fundamental responsibilities. She did, however, grant Lee a spent conviction.
RSPCA WA Inspector Manager Kylie Green responded after the sentencing, stating that financial hardship is never an excuse for allowing an animal to suffer. "Mia had chronic, obvious health conditions that were clearly impacting her quality of life and causing suffering," Ms Green said.
"It was the offender’s responsibility to seek veterinary advice, explore payment options, ask for help, or reach out to an organisation like RSPCA WA but instead he left Mia to deteriorate even further."
The RSPCA urges anyone who witnesses animal cruelty to report it via 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358) or online at rspcawa.org.au.
