Owner fined after cat's painful dental disease goes untreated for months

October 20, 2020
Sunday spoke to staff at the animal welfare charity about the mental toll of the public’s criticism.

An Auckland man has been fined and sentenced to community service after he failed to take his cat to the vet, leading to it suffering for months to the point euthanasia became “the most humane treatment”. 

North Shore man Brett Goulding was sentenced in the Auckland District Court yesterday to 100 hours of community work, ordered to pay $365.62 in reparations and disqualified from owning animals for five years, with the exception of the two cats he currently owns.

A rescue organisation first took Goulding’s cat in November 2018 after a member of the public saw the cat had “obvious dental problems”, the SPCA said today. 

“The vet noted the cat was very thin with chronic poor nutrition with lesions on its nose and severe periodontal disease. 

“The vet gave the cat antibiotics and pain relief, and advised the rescue organisation to inform the owner he should return with the cat for dental treatment.”

The owner was then encouraged to get his cat medical treatment. 

In January last year, an SPCA inspector visited Goulding, but found “no treatment had been sought”. The cat was seized then taken for treatment. 

“The vet found the cat had severe issues in its mouth including broken teeth and exposed tooth roots and ulceration at the corners of his mouth,” the SPCA said.

“It was the vet’s opinion that pain and disease would have been present for at least four months. 

“After eight days of care, including steroids and pain relief, the vet recommended euthanasia as the most humane treatment.”

SHARE ME