Waterloo Corner resident Geoffrey Mortensen pleads guilty to two charges of animal cruelty
A blind dog was left with an untreated infected paw, mouth, eyes, cancerous lumps and a stomach full of worms in a case described as one of the worst RSPCA inspectors have seen.
North & North East
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A disability pensioner has received a suspended prison sentence for failing to take his sick dog to a veterinarian.
Geoffrey Mortensen, 54, of Waterloo Corner, on Tuesday admitted two counts of animal neglect laid by the RSPCA over an elderly fox terrier, Brandy.
Brandy was seized in August last year from a property that Mortensen shared with a former de facto, Sarah Van Roon.
Van Roon, formerly of Brisbane, also was charged but fled Adelaide shortly afterwards. A warrant had been issued for her arrest.
The Elizabeth Magistrates Court heard Brandy had been left untreated with various ailments including infected eyes, ears, mouth and front left paw, cancerous lumps and a worm infestation.
Andrew Fowler-Walker, for the RSPCA, said Brandy was euthanised after inspectors seized her from Mortensen’s property following a call from police.
“The dog was put down that day, it was the only humane thing to do,” he said.
“She had been left to suffer with several conditions and would have been in ongoing pain for months, if not years.
“He (Mortensen) had failed to take the dog to a vet.”
Mr Fowler-Walker said it would have been “obvious” to anyone that Brandy needed medical treatment.
RSPCA inspectors had photographed Brandy’s enclosure littered with faeces and urine despite having fresh food and water.
Mr Fowler-Walker said this indicated Mortensen would have seen Brandy and been aware of her deterioriating condition.
“It would have been obvious to anyone who was feeding the dog, observing the dog, that she was unwell and in pain,” he said.
A report by the RSPCA veterinarian who examined Brandy after her seizure listed numerous untreated ailments.
“Her eyes were filled with so much fluid that she couldn’t close her eyelids or blink,” said Mr Fowler-Walker.
“One of her eyes had collapsed.
“Her front left paw had an ingrown toenail which had grown into the pad and caused an abscess with pus.
“Both her ears were blocked and full of pus. They were foul smelling and swollen.”
Mr Fowler-Walker said Brandy had defecated in the RSPCA van after she was removed from Mortensen’s property.
“Her faeces was full of intestinal worms,” he said.
Matthew Mead, for Mortensen, said his client was “embarrassed and sorry” for his neglect of Brandy.
“He is not the sort of person who generally has ill-will towards animals,” he said.
“He accepts he had responsibility to take the animal to the vet.”
Mr Mead said Mortensen and Van Roon were “in an unusual relationship” where they still lived in the same house despite separating 15 years ago when their daughter was three.
Brandy had been given to Van Roon by a friend in 2014 and already was suffering from ill-health, including blindness, “when she arrived”.
Magistrate Brian Nitschke said Mortensen’s defence that Brandy belonged to a former de facto partner who shared his house did not excuse him from not looking after her.
“The legal obligation is on the person who owns an animal or has custody of an animal to make observations and check on its welfare,” he said.
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Magistrate Nitschke sentenced Mortensen to six months in jail but placed him on a $500 good behaviour bond.
Mortensen also was ordered to pay $3960 in costs to the RSPCA and banned from having any more animals.
RSPCA South Australia chief inspector Andrea Lewis said the level of neglect endured by Brandy was among the worst she had seen.
“This was an older dog, blind, deaf and totally vulnerable, who was completely abandoned by her owners when she needed them the most,” Ms Lewis said.
“No animal should be left to suffer to that degree for that long.
“It’s never alright to abandon an animal or to ignore its need for veterinary care, and we urge people to always seek help early so their animal does not suffer and has the best chance of recovery.”