Animal cruelty Melbourne: Worst cases include Ferntree Gully, Lilydale, Brighton
A dog has been put down after he was found grossly neglected for months, while a number of cats have been caught up in disturbing discoveries in a shocking string of animal cruelty incidents. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
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A four-year-old dog has been put down after he was found covered in ulcers and in severe pain in Melbourne’s latest animal cruelty case.
RSPCA Victoria officers made the difficult decision to euthanise Bobby the german shepherd after they visited a property in the state’s southeast last month.
Officers negotiated the surrender of the dog and he was taken to the authority’s Burwood East clinic, where the animal was found emaciated with muscle damage and swollen limbs.
RSPCA Victoria Inspectorate team leader Stuart Marchesani said Bobby’s condition was unacceptable and they felt he had experienced “gross neglect” that has gone on for months.
“All pet owners must take full responsibility for the animals in their care and, if they are no longer able to provide adequate care, we urge them to talk to RSPCA Victoria about their options,” Mr Marchesani said.
Bobby’s discovery is one of the latest in a disturbing number of suspected animal cruelty cases during 2020.
According to RSPCA statistics released in September, reports have increased of cases of beaten and wounded animals, hygiene and housing, and underweight animals for the 2019-20 financial year.
Casey was the state’s top hotspot for animal cruelty incidents at 581, which was followed by last year’s leader Greater Geelong at 561, then Humeat 374, Whittlesea at 344 and Melton at 338.
Here are some of the other sickening incidents uncovered this year, all of which are being investigated by the RSPCA.
CAT CRUELTY
A number of cats have been caught up in disturbing discoveries with some of them cable-tied, abused and potentially set on fire.
In Ferntree Gully, a walker found a cat abandoned with its legs bound with cable ties and duct tape at Wally Tew Reserve in late April.
In August, a Lilydale couple got a fright after their six-year-old cat, Leo, escaped for an hour and returned howling and doused in petrol.
Police and the RSPCA began investigating after it found evidence someone had tried to set him on fire.
Last month, two stray cats were spotted covered in liquid in Werribee by an animal lover.
The following day, the cats’ fur was peeling away and they were howling in extreme pain.
It was believed they could have been covered in hot industrial glue, as one of the cats had severe burns on its face, the top of its head and its spine.
In June, a cat was found in Broadmeadows with a fractured leg and burns to its skin, while a week later, a cat in Hadfield with a zip-tie and rubber band around its tail, preventing it from defecating.
Later that month, a 12-week-old kitten was surrendered at PetStock Carrum Downs with two broken legs, cuts to his face and head injuries.
POSSUM DUMPED
A ringtail possum cheated death after he was put inside a bag and left to die on a Brighton street.
The bag was discovered by an Asling St resident in mid-September who immediately called the RSPCA.
Vets later found a wound on the animal’s nose which suggested it was caught in a trap before being sealed in the bag.
The possum was cleared of any significant injuries but was tipped to require time to recover from the trauma he endured.
The circumstances as to how the bag ended up on the street are unclear.
BURNING BIRDS
Bird lovers were horrified earlier this month when up to 100 native birds including ibis’ and their babies were believed to have been set alight in Langwarrin wetlands.
It’s believed two people approached the birds in a dingy about noon on October 31 while they were nesting on an island.
They allegedly doused the birds with petrol before setting them alight and returning to the mainland.
Some of the birds were rescued by a woman who rushed out a paddleboard as neighbours watched on in horror.
The RSPCA and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning are continuing their investigations, while some birds are recovering at Frankston’s Animalia Wildlife Shelter.
Anyone with information on these cases or who has concerns for the welfare of an animal is encouraged to contact RSPCA Victoria.
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