THE woman at the centre of an horrific animal cruelty case played out in Mandurah Magistrates Court over the past few months has escaped a prison term.
Gemma Louise Tovey wept in court as Magistrate Leanne Atkins ordered her to complete 200 hours of community service work on each charge.
The hours are to be served concurrently under a 18-month intensive supervision order.
Ms Tovey, 24, was convicted last year of four charges in relation to the horrific neglect of three dogs in Waroona in 2012.
RSPCA inspectors investigated following reports of dogs having been abandoned at a former address of Ms Tovey.
One dog, a female greyhound, was found dead in a pool of urine at the home.
Two other dogs, a Siberian husky and a Rotti/Staffy X, were found emaciated.
They were later euthanased due to their poor condition.
An inspection of the home revealed faecal matter littering the floor and walls and scratches on a toilet door indicating a dog had been locked in there for some time.
The greyhound, which weighed just 14.1 kilograms, was taken to Murdoch Hospital for an autopsy which revealed leather, metal and elastic bands in its stomach.
The average weight of a female greyhound of similar age was reported to be between 27-34kg.
The autopsy also revealed the greyhound would have suffered for a number of weeks before its death.
The matter was described to the court as a “very serious case of animal cruelty” by the prosecution who said the case was especially unsettling due to Ms Tovey having been a dog foster carer and a registered greyhound worker.
“A reasonable person does not abandon their animals,” the prosecutor said.
“This was deliberate, sheer neglect.”
The prosecutor said Ms Tovey had shown no remorse and had exhibited a lack of care and disinterest in the matter.
Prior to sentencing Magistrate Atkins referred to the case as “extremely disturbing”.
On Monday she said Ms Tovey had escaped prison by the "slightest of margins".
Ms Tovey, who has most recently been working at dog kennels, was banned from owning or caring for animals for five years.
She was ordered to pay court costs.
