Springfield: Backyard puppy breeder avoids jail for burning dog’s scrotum and neglect

A woman, who only got into backyard breeding during Covid when people were paying “heavily inflated prices”, has been sentenced for severely burning her dog’s scrotum.

Kelly Maree Dwyer, 43, of Springfield, outside Gosford Local Court with her solicitor after pleading guilty to failing to provide vet treatment and breaching the code of practice for dog breeders. Picture: NewsLocal

A backyard breeder has narrowly avoided jail after she severely burned one of her dogs’ scrotum with hydrogen peroxide and failed to provide it and other dogs with vet treatment and basic care.

Kelly Maree Dwyer, 43, of Springfield faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of failing to provide vet treatment and six counts of failing to comply with the animal welfare code of practice for breeders.

The court heard RSPCA inspectors could smell dog faeces “from the street” when they attended Dwyer’s Lock Ave property on December 18 last year.

An agreed set of facts states RSPCA inspectors found multiple dogs, including a litter of puppies, housed in various locations without bedding or shelter and contained in tiny crates.

Piles of faeces were all over the back and front yards and near water bowls.

“Inside the house there was a strong smell of animal waste and ammonia to the point that inspectors found it difficult to breathe,” the facts state.

The property at 25 Lock Ave, Springfield where RSPCA inspector could smell the faeces from the street. Picture: Google

The inspectors issued Dwyer several direction notices to comply with the animal welfare code of practice for breeders as well as provide vet treatment for a female dog found with pus in her eyes and poor overall condition.

On January 20 the RSPCA received a further complaint about a male dog with chemical burns to its testicles and referred the complaint to police.

On January 23 RSPCA inspectors returned to the house and found the male Spoodle named Spikey with burns to his scrotum.

“She stated that it was caused when she was attempting to get rid of the urine smell by making a concoction of hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, bicarb soda, lemongrass essential oil, dish washing liquid and water which she used on his bed and around the house,” the facts state.

Dwyer told inspectors she put the dog back in his crate while his bed was still wet, which caused the burns, and then she tried to wash it off using dog shampoo before applying Betadine and manuka honey.

Magistrate Kirralee Perry said Dwyer was given “multiple opportunities” and very clear instructions on what she needed to do to address the care and treatment of the animals but failed to take responsibility and lacked insight into the seriousness of her offending.

The RSPCA said a lot of the dogs were kept in small crates. (File image)

Dwyer’s solicitor told the court it wasn’t that she lacked remorse but rather she had “maladaptive traits” and her “bucket was full” dealing with other issues.

He said she only got into breeding almost by accident when two dogs mated and she was left with a litter of puppies.

But Ms Perry rejected that submission “in its entirety” because Dwyer had told a sentence assessment report writer she got into breeding for financial gain during Covid when “people were willing to pay heavily inflated prices” for animals.

“If her bucket was full, why did she take on additional litters of puppies and 15 dogs?” the magistrate asked.

The RSPCA prosecutor told the court Dwyer was “someone who is completely inadequate at caring for animals”.

Dwyer was convicted on all eight charges and put on a community correction order for two years for the chemical burns to Spikey’s scrotum.

She was also fined a total of $5,700 for the other offences and ordered to pay RSPCA’s vet bills when they confiscated her animals of $4509.