Pet owner is banned from owning dogs for a decade after neglecting her pooch Bobbi to the point where her fur was encrusted with thousands of blood-filled ticks
- Zynetta Keiara Bin Hitam’s dog Bobbi was found covered in thousands of ticks
- Dog was seized by RSPCA and was in very poor health and severely underweight
- Bin Hitam fined $5,000 and has been banned from owning dogs for 10 years
A woman has been banned from owning dogs and fined more than $5,000 after her severely emaciated pet was found covered in thousands of ticks.
Bobbi the bullmastiff was seized by the West Australian RSPCA from her 33-year-old owner Zynetta Keiara Bin Hitam, 33, in Broome, in December last year.
RSPCA inspectors received a cruelty report suggesting Bobbi was infested with ticks on December 7 and told Bin Hitam she needed to take the dog to the vet immediately.
However the woman ignored the request prompting the inspector to repeatedly call her and send her text messages – which she too ignored and responded ‘Bobbi is fine’.
Bobbi was eventually seized by authorities and Bin Hitam was banned from owning or being in contact with a dog for 10 years, fined $3,750 and ordered to pay costs of $2,068.
Bobbi the Bullmastiff was found with thousands of ticks on her ears and body after she was seized by the WA RSPCA
The pooch has since made a full recovery and is in the care of the RSPCA
After the dog was taken to the vet thousands of ticks were found on both of her ears and hundreds were crawling over the rest of her body.
She was lethargic, anaemic, had a fever and was suffering from the disease Ehrlichiosis – which pets can get from ticks.
Horrifying photos taken of Bobbi show her ears ‘encrusted’ with the tiny creatures.
A court heard the dog would have been suffering for weeks and possibly months for her to have been in such a poor condition.
Bin Hitam was found guilty of animal cruelty and failure to comply with a written direction.
RSPCA executive manager for animal and enforcement operations, Hannah Dreaver, said Bobbi’s condition was deeply disturbing.
Bobbi’s body was covered in ticks. She was also severely underweight and had a fever
‘Her ears almost defied belief there were so many ticks in them,’ she said.
‘It must have been so painful for Bobbi and the itching would have driven her mad, not to mention the fever and anaemia making her feel so unwell.
‘There’s never an excuse to let an animal suffer like Bobbi did – even when we called the owner out on it and directed her to take Bobbi to a vet, she still didn’t comply.’
Ms Dreaver said Bobbi has since made a full recovery and is ‘happy and healthy’ while in the care of the RSPCA.
‘She’s one of the biggest snugglers we’ve come across,’ she said.
It’s possible the dog had been suffering the masses of ticks for months before she was rescued