Court hears of abuse allegedly inflicted on a 13-year-old dog by Deception Bay couple
A southeast Queensland woman accused of severely mistreating her Alaskan Malamute laughed out loud in court as the prosecutor detailed the abuse police will allege she and her partner inflicted on the dog. WARNING DISTURBING CONTENT
Moreton
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A COUPLE from Deception Bay have been accused by police of almost starving their Alaskan malamute and leaving diseases untreated for months.
Damien O’mara and Melissa Grant contested the charges – saying the dog, which they adopted three years ago, was just a fussy eater.
The duo appeared in Redcliffe Magistrates Court on July 8.
Senior Prosecutor Mike Ball told the court police had come across the malnourished dog while conducting a search warrant at a Deception Bay home on May 27 in relation to another investigation.
The court heard police spotted the 13-year-old female Alaskan malamute was underweight, had no body fat, protruding bones were visible from a distance and could be felt when patted and the dog had dried faeces stuck to the fur on its rear.
As the prosecutor read out the police facts Grant laughed out loud.
“It is not funny madam,” Magistrate Bucknall said.
“This is not a laughing matter.”
Police seized the dog and took it to the RSPCA at Dakabin.
The court heard an RSPCA vet found signs of multiple diseases including dental, hookworm and tapeworm.
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As well as muscular issues, a tumour like growth in the dog’s mouth and osteoarthritis.
The dog weighed 27.6kg and was given a body condition score of two – a score of one means the dog is close to starvation – nine means the dog is dangerously obese.
The vet, in her report, stated the health problems would have been obvious to a “lay person and early intervention would have prevented the severity” of the diseases.
Mr Ball said the defendants told police during an interview that the dog was a fussy eater and often left food in her bowl.
Magistrate Bucknall granted an order that the defendants be banned from owning any animal until the matter was finalised by the court.
It was adjourned to Caboolture Magistrates Court on July 14.