Bunbury woman charged with animal cruelty after sad backyard discovery

A 31-year-old Bunbury woman will face court accused of neglecting her two pet dogs after one dog was found dead and another starving in the backyard of her home.

RSPCA WA say they were alerted to the dogs’ plight by a local ranger in July, who was told the woman had not been at the Glen Iris property for about five weeks.

The ranger took the two dogs to a nearby vet, where the deceased dog, a male Staffy-cross, was found to be severely emaciated, while the other dog, a female Jack Russell-cross, had a body condition score of 1.5 out of 5.

The female Jack Russell-cross was taken into RSPCA care and her weight had since doubled.

It is alleged the woman failed to provide the dogs with proper and sufficient food.

The woman will appear in Bunbury Magistrates Court on January 9.

The maximum penalty for a charge of animal cruelty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison.