Australia
88 Dogs Seized From One Property In New South Wales
Animal welfare inspectors have seized 88 dogs from a property in south-west Sydney, including one puppy found dead.
RSPCA NSW inspectors executed a search warrant on 10 September after previously issued directions were allegedly not complied with. Inspectors said large numbers of dogs were found inside the dwelling.
The surviving dogs have been taken into care and are undergoing veterinary assessment and receiving treatment where needed.
This was not the first intervention at the property. Inspectors had already attended in July and removed ten dogs. A goat was also euthanised on veterinary advice during that earlier operation.
That brings the total number of animals seized from the property to 98.
The investigation remains ongoing.
USA
Eleven Dogs Rescued As Two Men Face Cruelty Charges
Two men have been charged with animal cruelty after authorities in West Virginia found six emaciated adult dogs and five puppies at a property in Grafton.
Officers responding to a report of a malnourished dog said the adult animals had visible ribs, spines and pelvic bones. The five-week-old puppies appeared otherwise healthy but were heavily infested with fleas.
Jonathan Parks, 21, and Donald Parks, 19, were arrested and the 11 dogs were surrendered to animal control and taken to the Taylor County Humane Society.
Both men are being held on $10,000 bond.
Eleven dogs are now out of the conditions in which they were found. The criminal case will determine who is held responsible for putting them there.
USA
Woman Released As Service-Dog Cruelty Case Continues
A 77-year-old woman facing multiple animal cruelty charges in Illinois has been released ahead of trial on the condition that she does not care for animals.
Donna Perry and her granddaughter Hannah Perry each face eight counts of aggravated animal cruelty and eight counts of animal cruelty following an investigation linked to an alleged service-dog training operation.
Hannah Perry’s request for release was denied.
During the hearings, prosecutors raised concerns about the alleged operation and the treatment of dogs entrusted to it for training.
The allegations have not yet been tested at trial and the defendants are presumed innocent.
The case is particularly troubling because these were dogs people were reportedly paying to have trained to help them.
USA
More Than 100 Cats Removed From Three New York Homes
More than 100 cats, including kittens and pregnant cats, have been removed from three overcrowded and unsanitary homes in New York City.
The cats received medical examinations before being transferred to a recovery facility in Ohio for treatment and care ahead of eventual adoption.
The operation follows a series of other large-scale interventions in New York City involving animals considered to be at risk.
More than 300 vulnerable animals, primarily cats, have reportedly been removed across the city’s five boroughs through recent interventions involving animal welfare teams and police.
More than 100 cats from these latest three homes now need care before they can begin moving on to new lives.
USA
Ten Dogs Face Months Of Recovery After Cruelty Investigation
Two adult dogs and eight puppies are receiving veterinary treatment after being removed from an outdoor enclosure in Stratford, Connecticut.
Police arrested 27-year-old Malik Powell following an animal cruelty investigation. He faces nine counts of animal cruelty alongside charges relating to confinement, rabies vaccination and licensing.
Authorities say the dogs were in poor health and required emergency veterinary care.
All ten currently have a good prognosis, but their recovery is expected to require months of veterinary treatment, medication, proper nutrition and monitoring.
Because the criminal case remains active, the dogs cannot currently be made available for adoption.
They may be safe now, but for ten dogs the consequences of what happened to them are far from over.
Great Britain
Up To 4.6 Million Animals Could Be Victims Of Illegal Harm Every Year
New research estimates that between one million and 4.6 million animals could suffer illegal harm in Great Britain every year.
The research was released as the new Animal Welfare Evidence Centre launched on 10 September.
Researchers examined harm involving companion animals, farmed animals, wildlife and animals used in science and found that existing information is fragmented across numerous organisations and systems.
The research also identified a striking gap between recorded offences and criminal consequences, reporting that only around 3% of recorded police animal offences result in a charge.
The upper estimate of 4.6 million should not be read as a precise count. It is an estimate produced from available reporting, inspection and non-compliance data.
But that is part of the problem.
Britain still does not know exactly how many animals are being illegally harmed each year.
If animal abuse is not consistently recorded, counted and brought together, part of the problem remains invisible.
And what cannot be properly measured is considerably easier to ignore.
End Of Bulletin