Dog breeder Elizabeth Verhagen guilty of animal abuse, daughter Tiana Daniels not guilty
A Lockyer Valley dog breeder has been found guilty of a swath of animal mistreatment charges, including a home surgery and “almost life threatening” flea infestation. CONFRONTING
Police & Courts
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An Ipswich dog breeding has had her fate heard in court, after denying a swath of animal mistreatment charges.
Lockyer Waters residents Elizabeth Alice Verhagen, 62, pleaded not guilty at trial last August to a number of animal mistreatment charges.
On April 13, Verhagen was found guilty.
The court heard from multiple witnesses including veterinary experts and police officers who had attended the property where Verhagen had been keeping a number of dogs in pens for breeding.
Prosecution witnesses testified some of pens were unclean and faeces-ridden, that multiple dogs had dental disease and fleas, and that some did not have access to appropriate water and bedding.
Magistrate Rob Turra noted while delivering his verdict on April 13 that detectives had called the pens “filthy”.
An RSPCA investigator inspector testified there were “at least weeks’” worth of faeces built up in one of the pens.
Under cross examination, Verhagen said she had been unwell prior to the RSPCA inspection and may have not cleaned that pen for up to a week.
Mr Turra said he did not accept this as a reasonable excuse, and that as the dogs’ owner she had a responsibility to find alternative means to provide appropriate care.
The court also heard Verhagen had admitted to performing a surgery on one of the dogs – a male golden retriever named Cody.
Verhagen had spread numbing cream on Cody’s skin before using a scalpel to cut a large lump “bigger than a golf ball” from his body and a smaller lump off his head.
A veterinary expert testified during the trial that this was “not adequate pain relief” and there were “no circumstances” in which this surgery would have been appropriate, because “the nature of that numbing cream is not designed for surgical procedures”.
A woman testified that she had assisted with the procedure and that Cody was calm throughout it.
While delivering his verdict, Mr Turra said he said the “clear evidence” from the veterinary expert, with 33 years’ experience, proved the procedure would have been “significantly painful” for the dog.
Mr Turra noted Verhagen had testified that she had some veterinary training, but said it was “concerning that Ms Verhagen at best lacks insight into the pain that this surgery would have caused”.
“At worst, she seems to be deluded in regards to her expertise, considering herself to be somewhat of a quasi-veterinarian,” Mr Turra said.
“It is clear to me that Ms Verhagen has neither the qualifications or expertise to have performed the surgery.”
Mr Turra said that a great dane at the property, called Jigsaw, was also alleged to have suffered from an “almost life-threatening flea burden” which caused the dog to suffer from anaemia.
He said Jigsaw almost required a “lifesaving” blood transfusion, but had recovered from his anaemia after he was removed from Verhagen’s care.
Mr Turra noted Verhagen had claimed she had attempted to treat the dogs fleas, but said the conditions of her property resulted in them quickly becoming re-infested.
He said it was “evident” that “whatever treatment was provided by Verhagen was inadequate and ineffective”.
Mr Turra further recounted that Verhagen had been concerned after the RSPCA’s initial seizures in 2020, and had sold three of the dogs to her daughter Talia Daniels for one dollar in an attempt to avoid further seizures.
Ms Daniels was found not guilty of two counts of failing to provide appropriate food and water, and failing to comply with a compulsory code requirement (code of practice of breeding dogs).
Mr Turra said it became clear throughout the trial that the transaction was a “paper construct only” and “ill conceived ruse”.
He said it was clear that the dogs were still in Verhagen’s care.
Mr Turra found Verhagen guilty of 13 of 14 charges against her.
Those charges included six counts of failing to provide appropriate treatment for injury, three counts of failing to provide appropriate accommodation or living conditions, two counts of failing to provide appropriate food or water, one count of being cruel to an animal by causing it unnecessary or unreasonable pain, one count of failing to comply with a compulsory code requirement to provide housing and exercise areas that were clean, and one of failing to comply with a compulsory code requirement by providing unclean water.
Mr Turra said the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Verhagen had provided unclean water to the dogs, and she was therefore acquitted of that charge.
Verhagen is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2023.
After Mr Turra delivered this verdict, Ms Verhagen immediately asked him if there was any way to appeal his decision.
He suggested she seek legal advice, and she left the courthouse in tears.
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