A woman who was allegedly involved in the mistreatment of a Mastiff cross American Bulldog puppy named Cash used Dettol, sensitive skin face wash, paw paw cream and Bepanthen to attempt to heal its chronic skin condition because she could not afford vetinary care, a Bunbury court has heard.
Carissa Selena Jocelyn Bonn appeared self-represented on Tuesday, October 13 at the Bunbury Magistrates Court on charges of mistreatment of an animal, maintaining her plea of not guilty entered in July this year.
In a trial lasting over four hours, nine witnesses took to the stand including vetinary staff and specialists who treated the puppy, neighbours and the dog’s previous owner. But, Magistrate Diane Scaddan did not reach a verdict and will hand down judgement on November 6.
The puppy was taken from Bonn by the RSPCA in March this year and was estimated to be aged between five months and one year old.
He was assessed by Harradine and Associates vet Sorbian Rae who described Cash as emaciated, pot bellied from worms with crusty skin, mildly dehydrated and ravenously hungry.
Cash was put down several days later after pain relief and antibiotics didn’t improve his condition.
The dog was first picked up by an RSPCA general inspector after receiving a call from Bonn’s neighbour Helena Zuiderwyk.
When called as a witness, Ms Zuiderwyk said she heard a “soulful cry” for about week, but was not sure whether it was a woman or an animal.
Zuiderwyk said when she later asked Bonn if she was keeping an animal to which Bonn asked Zuiderwyk to take a look at Cash as she believed he needed vetinary attention.
“I went and had a look at it and I saw a dog on the ground,” Ms Zuiderwyk said.
“It couldn’t move and his front paws collapsed underneath him and he was scabby and very lethargic.”
Ms Zuiderwyk said Bonn asked for help so she called around to get help but when she saw Cash lying in direct sunlight, she knew it was an emergency situation so called the RSPCA.
In a recorded interview with the RSPCA on April 2, Bonn stated she had only had the dog for eight days after getting it off its previous owner Rikki Dana Reeves who could not continue to look after Cash after spending some time in prison.
She had owned the dog for a year prior to giving it to Bonn.
Bonn said the dog was in terrible condition when she got it off Reeves but had no money to pay for vetinary care so took matters into her own hands.
She fed the dog a mix of kangaroo meat and sweet potato, which was slammed by vets who said she should have fed it a balanced diet or a proper large puppy mix.
Reeves was sentenced for the matter in July this year and was fined $6000 and is not allowed to own a pet for the next 10 years.