Pensioner Robin Harvey punished for animal cruelty resulting in labradors being put down

An Albion Park Rail animal abuser has avoided a jail sentence for his horrific mistreatment of two labradors who had to be euthanised due to “gross long-term neglect”. WARNING: Graphic images

Albion Park Rail man Robin Harvey leaving Wollongong Local Court on Thursday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

A magistrate has scolded an “irresponsible pet owner” after his ongoing neglect of his labradors resulted in two of them needing to be put down.

Robin Harvey, 66, fronted Wollongong Local Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal and three counts of failing to provide vet treatment.

Magistrate Michael Stoddart indicated the maximum sentence for the first of those charges was two years behind bars before hitting the Albion Park Rail man with a 12-month community corrections order.

In addition to the CCO, Harvey was hit with a $3000 fine and ordered to pay the RSPCA $102 in costs.

The disability pensioner was also ordered to forfeit his other nine Labradors and banned from owning animals for a period of five years.

Court documents stated RSPCA inspectors went to Harvey’s home on September 1, last year, following a cruelty complaint.

The inspectors observed the pack “generally did not appear well looked after”, however, they particularly noticed a small female Lab standing behind the other dogs.

Robin Harvey is banned from owning any animals for five years. Picture: Dylan Arvela

The dog’s name was Wobbles and she appeared weak, her eyes were opaque, her belly looked to be bloated and she had scars on her face and head.

Harvey said he wanted to surrender Wobbles and the inspectors placed her in their vehicle.

The animal abuser also said he wanted to surrender another dog, named Scruffy, who was unable to walk.

The inspectors noticed Scruffy had many of the same issues as Wobbles and reeked of urine and faeces.

Harvey agreed with the inspectors that the dogs were in “very poor condition”, however, when first asked if he had anything to say about them he replied “they got good appetites … generally well behaved”.

He claimed the dogs had not needed to go to the vet, adding Scruffy had been struggling for “only the last couple of days”.

“I’m not making excuses,” Harvey said before making several excuses about why he had not taken the dogs to the vet.

Harvey said he had conversations with his son about putting the dogs down, but he did not have “a lot of money”.

Wobbles suffered from muscle atrophy, dehydration, gum disease, atopic skin disease and ear infections. Picture: Supplied

He also regaled the inspectors of how he thought Scruffy would be okay because a previous dog he had “pin pricked himself on these cactus” and was “lame for about three or four days”.

The dogs were taken to Greencross Vet Clinic in Fairy Meadow that day where both were euthanised after the vet concluded it would be “cruel to keep them alive”.

In the vet’s report, they said Wobbles had muscle atrophy, was dehydrated, had gum disease, atopic skin disease and ear infections.

The report stated these conditions were due to “gross long-term neglect occurring over months, possibly years.”

As for Scruffy, he was suffering from many of the same ailments as well as urine and faecal scalding and haemorrhagic diarrhoea.

Scruffy weighed just 7.8kg while Wobbles weighed slightly more at 10.1kg.

Scruffy weighed only 7.8kg. Picture: Supplied

Healthy adult Labradors typically weigh between 25 and 40kg.

In court on Thursday, Mr Stoddart exclaimed the pictures of the now-deceased dogs were “disgraceful”, adding “these dogs haven’t been looked after for months”.

“If you are going to have a pet you've got to look after them,” the magistrate said.

“Don’t you think those dogs will be better with someone who looks after them?”

Harvey said he was “trying” his “best” with Mr Stoddart responding “your best is way too short”.

The offender asked to be allowed to keep at least one of his dogs, however, Mr Stoddart declined, noting Harvey’s sentencing assessment report “leaves a lot to be desired” because he had very little insight into his conduct.

“You told them you were ‘pissed off with the charges’ as you had looked after dogs all your life,” the magistrate said.

“What until this happened? You may have had animals for years, but it seems to me you haven’t been anything but irresponsible.”

To report animal cruelty contact the RSPCA.