A woman has been convicted of repeated offenses of animal cruelty after a court heard four horses in her care were allowed to become severely malnourished.
Animal welfare inspectors from the NSW RSPCA visited a property near Putty in August last year after receiving reports about the welfare of the horses.
A veterinarian who inspected the property reported that six horses were severely underweight or infected with dermatophytosis, a type of skin disease.
(Delivered)
According to the RSCPA, two of the horses were considered emaciated based on the condition of their bodies.
“The attending veterinarian noted that the paddocks where the horses were kept were mostly dirt, with little or no grass, and confirmed that four of the horses were severely underweight,” the RSCPA said.
The RSPCA claimed the horses had not been properly fed for six to eight weeks.
The horses also had sharp, overgrown cheek teeth, with one horse also suffering from severe periodontal disease,” the release said.
The woman appeared at Singleton Local Court in April, where she was sentenced to an 18-month intensive corrections order to be served in the community, including 200 hours of community service.
The woman was previously sentenced to a two-year correctional order for similar offenses in 2021.
The magistrate said the woman, as the owner, had failed the horses by leaving them to suffer for an extended period of time.
The woman was ordered to dispose of any other animals in her care within 28 days and was banned from owning any animals for five years.
She was also ordered to pay $19,000 in veterinary care and shelter costs to the RSPCA of NSW.
Four of the horses remain in the care of the RSCPA.
Images released by the society today show many of the horses have regained some of their lost weight.