Pet restrictions: Model wins battle to keep 54 pets in Ermington

A bikini model whose suburban menagerie of 54 animals sparked a rift with her neighbours has won a court battle, but says council has ‘dragged her through hell’.

A bikini model caught in a dogfight with her neighbours over her exotic pet collection in Sydney’s northwest has won a court battle to keep her menagerie of 54 pets but says she’s been “dragged through hell and back” by council.

Ermington resident Hayley Bramhall has been caught in a row with residents for the past three years over her collection of 22 rabbits, 9 dogs, 17 birds, 2 ferrets, 2 cats and 2 guinea pigs, which are sold and bred as part of her breeding business.

The NSW Land and Environment Court has allowed model Hayley Bramhall to keep 54 pets at her Ermington property.

Outraged residents have been complaining to the local council for the past three years about her and her mother Margaret Kaszubowski amid concerns the animals keep them awake at night and have attracted vermin to the neighbourhood.

But the model has defended her right to keep the pets, describing them as her children and “life” and insisting her residential zoo is well-kept and doesn’t cause excessive noise and disturbance.

The glamour model says she was happy to win.

Hayley says she suffered a mental breakdown through the fight.

In January, the City of Parramatta issued the pair with a notice to reduce the number of animals to 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 4 dogs and 4 cats, saying they were “creating noise, attracting other birds, vermin and interfering with the amenity of neighbouring properties.”

Ms Bramhall appealed the order and following mediation with council, the Land and Environment Court on Wednesday ruled she was allowed her to keep a limited number of animals exceeding no more than 54.

Hayley is allowed to keep 54 pets in her Ermington home.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ms Bramhall said she was happy about the ruling because it meant she could keep her beloved pets.

“I’ve been through hell and back … The (council) were onto me like I was a criminal. “Neighbours were complaining about things that weren’t even a problem and council can really rip into you,” she said.

“I live and breathe animals.

“This is my world, my life, this is what I do. I breed them. It’s all I have.”

She said visits from council were constant, with one official “threatening to take everything” “like Hitler.”

Ms Bramhall is now required to keep all her rabbits in cages and ensure the premises are clean and free of vermin.

Neighbour Arthur Shaw said he struggles to sleep because of screeching from the parrots and is constantly disturbed by customers who come and go from her house buying animals.

“There’s bird cages coming in left, right and centre. The pets have disturbed close neighbours,” he said.

“They’re attracting rats and ibis. She looks after them very well but I think she’s gone too far with too many.”

He says at least two tenants living nearby have moved out because of the noise.

“Previous tenants had to move out because she wouldn’t block her fence and dogs got through.”

City of Parramatta Councillor Steven Issa said it was “outrageous” the 54 pets were allowed to stay, and he would be keeping a “close eye” on Ms Bramhall to make sure she followed the rules.

“If my neighbour had 9 dogs, 22 rabbits, 17 parrots and a partridge in a pear tree, I’d be very concerned too,” Clr Issa said.

“Domestic houses on 500, 600 sqm blocks aren’t appropriate for that many pets … but I empathise with the neighbours, and will look into it to make sure (Ms Bramhall) abides by the conditions imposed.”