Frankston South ‘animal lover’ convicted and fined for owning dangerous animal after puppy’s death
A Frankston South “animal lover” entrusted to care for a couple’s beloved 15-week-old dachshund was found to running an illegal dog-minding business after the much-loved puppy was mauled to death. Now she’s been sentenced in court.
South East
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A woman who ran an illegal dog-minding business where a 15-week-old dachshund puppy was mauled to death has been fined and convicted for owning a dangerous animal.
Frankston couple Nick Carlomagno and girlfriend Lauren Waycott, whose much-loved puppy Evie was killed in the care of 32-year-old Frankston South woman April Slight, say they are psychologically damaged and have been left feeling paranoid over the loss of their beloved pet.
Frankston Magistrates’ Court heard the couple paid Slight to pick up and drop off their pet each day for a week in June while Ms Waycott was on holiday in Western Australia and Mr Carlomagno worked in Melbourne.
They found Slight’s highly recommended business through the ‘I Love Dachshunds Melbourne’ Facebook page and agreed to pay her $50 per day.
But, on the afternoon of June 12, Mr Carlomagno received a call from the Lort Smith Animal Hospital at North Melbourne notifying him the dog had died.
The court heard Evie was attacked by at least one other dachshund at the illegal Palmerston Cr business about 10am while Slight left the house to attend a court hearing at Frankston.
After returning home to find the badly hurt pup, Slight dropped her off at the hospital but did not notify Mr Carlomagno until 4.30pm.
When Slight did not return his calls on the night of the incident, Mr Carlomagno visited her address, which he described as looking “like a meth lab”.
“There were at least 10 other dachshunds in the window,” he said.
Ms Waycott alerted Frankston Council and officers uncovered the illegal boarding house two days after the attack.
Council prosecutor Bruce Gilbert questioned Slight’s decision to drive the bloody dog for an hour to North Melbourne instead of a local clinic. Mr Gilbert said the pet “probably bled to death” during the long drive.
He said Slight had made no attempt to repay the dog owner’s $3556 debt, which included Evie’s $3070 purchase price and cremation costs.
“(Slight) has refused to talk and this is the fourth time she has been at court (for this matter),” Mr Gilbert said.
“She has not co-operated in interviews.”
In a victim impact statement, Ms Waycott said she was still suffering from “significant grief, distress and trauma”.
Mr Carlomagno said it was “heartbreaking” to see Evie’s toys and accessories in their house.
“I truly believed Lauren and I were doing the right thing by our puppy girl,” he said.
“(I feel) constant pain from what has happened.”
Slight’s defence told the court the mother of one was an “animal lover” who had suffered from PTSD and bullying and “would never forgive herself” over the attack.
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She pleaded guilty to owning a dog which attacked an animal causing serious injury, conducting a domestic animal business on unregistered land, and breaching the planning scheme for developing land for prohibited use (mainly animal boarding).
Magistrate Dominic Lennon last week convicted and fined Ms Slight $1000 and ordered her to repay Evie’s owner’s outstanding costs in $75 instalments.
“While you have been remorseful, you have not been as remorseful as you could have been,” Mr Lennon said.