Kerrie Maree Fitzpatrick to contest allegations she owned and abused nearly 100 dogs while banned from pets, court hears

A woman already banned from owning pets and now allegedly caught with nearly 100 “mistreated” animals has told a court that the dogs aren’t hers.

A former puppy farmer already banned from owning animals has told a court the 86 dogs she was allegedly caught with belonged to “another person”.

On Tuesday, Kerrie Maree Fitzpatrick, through her lawyer, told the Elizabeth Magistrates Court she intended to contest new charges she was the owner of 86 dogs she had allegedly mistreated.

Fitzpatrick has been charged with the ill treatment of an animal to cause death or serious harm, and ill treatment of animals including border collie puppies and dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs.

In October, RSPCA inspectors and police attended Fitzpatrick’s Lewiston property, where they seized 86 dogs, including puppies, and three rabbits and two guinea pigs.

Kerrie Maree Fitzpatrick has been charged with the ill treatment of animals. Picture: Oscar’s Law

Simon Perrie, for the RSPCA, told Magistrate Joanna Martin the number of animals seized would have risen from the original 86 to “around 108,” because some of the dogs seized were pregnant, with one litter already being born at the Lonsdale shelter.

“There are still puppies due to be born in the coming weeks. There are about 98 now that have been seized given new litters, and that doesn’t count litters still to come,” Mr Perrie said.

“The facility at Lonsdale is all hands on deck and dedicating resources to this matter.

“These animals were on the accused’s property, and that property was set up as a breeding facility.”

Craig Caldicott, for Fitzpatrick, said his client would maintain her innocence because the dogs recently seized by the RSPCA did not belong to her.

The RSPCA says more than 100 dogs and puppies have been seized from Fitzpatrick’s property. Photo: RSPCA

A puppy farmer has told a court the 86 mistreated animals she was allegedly caught with were not hers. Photo: RSPCA

“I understand that there is a claim by another person on the animals which have been seized, and they will be needing to make an application to have the animals returned, which I am sure will be contested,” Mr Caldicott said.

Ms Martin adjourned the matter until next month.

Outside court, Mr Caldicott told reporters that his client had “indicated a plea of not guilty, with the matter to be fought out in court.”

“The puppies and dogs belong to another person, so I am hoping that the persons who have purchased puppies, will receive those puppies.

“Do the puppies born at the RSPCA belong to the RSPCA or other persons?

“They’re not her dogs. They weren’t on her property and they weren’t even her dogs,” Mr Caldicott said.

“I’d like to think she’d stay out of prison – she’s represented by me.”