A SEAFORD woman has avoided conviction after pleading guilty to aggravated cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
In a statement, RSPCA Victoria said it attended a Seaford home and found an American Staffordshire Bull Terrier–type dog with a sizeable suspected tumour. The dog was assessed at a RSPCA Victoria veterinary clinic, where a bacterial skin infection was found on the tumour site. The mass was removed by surgery, but the dog received a terminal cancer diagnosis.
During a follow-up inspection, RSPCA staff say they “detected a strong odour and found the dog was unable to walk and had a new wound on its right hind leg that was necrotic with exposed bone and maggots, prompting the animal’s immediate seizure and transportation to an RSPCA Victoria veterinary clinic.”
“This dog had been suffering from these wounds for at least two weeks, but potentially up to three months,” an RPSCA statement read. “It’s reasonable to expect that a lay person, particularly one who had received prior veterinary guidance regarding their dog’s skin conditions, would recognise the required veterinary attention for the extensive wounds and significant weight loss.”
RSPCA Victoria Chief Inspector Michelle Green said “despite the repeated guidance and instructions, the owner failed to act and left the dog to suffer.”
“This case highlights the importance of preventative veterinary care and also protecting animals when they are unwell or in recovery,” Green said. “This was a horrific case of animal cruelty and neglect that caused tremendous pain and suffering that was completely avoidable. Pet owners have a legal obligation to provide appropriate or veterinary care for their animals when in need.”
The 36-year-old woman who pleaded guilty was fined $3,000 without conviction, ordered to pay $1,180 in costs, and disqualified from owning or being in charge of any dog for five years.
First published in the Frankston Times – 24 March 2026