Prison sentence for mother and son who starved puppy
Chaise was found by the RSPCA after he was starved by his Maryborough owners. Contributed
by Carlie Walker
Carlie Walker Journalist Coming from Newcastle in New South Wales, Carlie completed an arts degree before moving to the Fraser Coast. She has been with the Chronicle since 2007.
2nd Jul 2015 3:16 PM
A MARYBOROUGH mother and son have both been sentenced to three months in prison, wholly suspended, and have been banned from owning an animal for 10 years after a puppy in a life-threatening state of neglect was removed from their care earlier this year.
Kathleen Teresa Maslen, 39 and Jeremy Hill, 17, appeared before Maryborough Magistrates Court on Thursday, each pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a duty of care to an animal.
Solicitor Fiona Terrell represented the RSPCA, the organisation which removed the puppy, a female black Labrador cross, from the care of Hill and Maslen after it was noticed tied up out the front of their Maryborough home.
When it was seized, the dog was so thin that its ribs and spine could be clearly seen, Ms Terrell told the court.
The puppy, named Chaise, also had a severe case of mange and a secondary infection because of its malnourishment.
Chaise was suffering from life-threatening malnutrition and infection and was so lethargic she had to be hand fed and could not get up and move around.
Chaise was observed to be lethargic and after cuddling up on a blanket she did not move, Ms Terrell said.
Magistrate John Smith said he could not understand how Hill and Maslen could have looked at Chaise each day and continue to allow the puppy to suffer.
"It was heartbreaking for me to look at the photos," Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith sentenced both Hill and Maslen to three months in prison, wholly suspended with an operational period of three years.
In addition to the prison sentence, Hill and Maslen were each fined $2699.40.
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