On 31 August 2020 RSPCA Tasmania Inspectors attended an Ulverstone property, in response to a complaint regarding deceased and dying guinea pigs.
RSPCA Inspectors attended the property and observed that there was no food in the cage with faeces in the food bowls and about a 5 cm build-up of faeces in the solid floored area of the hutch. There were 3 deceased guinea pigs and a brindle coloured live guinea pig was in a poor body condition.
At Devonport Magistrates Court today, Desiree Bonner pleaded guilty to several charges under the Animal Welfare Act relating to starving and failing to properly treat several guinea pigs. The charges included charges of aggravated cruelty. She was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000.
Also, the court ordered that Ms Bonner be disqualified from owning any animal for a period of 3 years, that the one surviving guinea pig, in the care of RSPCA Tasmania, not be returned to Ms Bonner, and that Ms Bonner pay RSPCA’s costs of $970.00.
