Gavan James Pratt, 60, of Girgarre, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to animal cruelty resulting in the death of two horses, animal cruelty by failing to provide veterinary treatment to eight horses, and being a person in control of 109 horses in contravention of an order under the prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
RSPCA prosecutor Graham Hambridge said 109 horses had to be seized from Pratt’s two Girgarre properties after he didn’t remove them, despite being earlier ordered by the court to do so.
Pratt had been disqualified from owning or being in charge of a horse for three years in September 2023 under the Animal Cruelty Act, and was given three months by the RSPCA to remove the horses from his Girgarre properties.
However, the court heard in those three months, Pratt had only sold two horses and purchased five more.
Mr Hambridge said eight horses were seriously sick or injured, with issues including broken legs and significant leg injuries, open flesh wounds, split hoofs and emaciation.
Five horses had to be euthanised.
Pratt’s defence counsel said the reason why his client bought more horses was because he wanted to sell them as “a package deal” within the three-month period in an attempt to pay off debt.
He said Pratt thought he could make it work at the time, but “wasn’t thinking rationally” and “deluding himself” with the “pipe dream”.
Pratt’s defence counsel told the court his client was ashamed of his conduct before the court and that the animals had to put down.
He said Pratt was clouded by depression, which he had been diagnosed with, but he had started to “dig himself out of a hole he’s been in for years”.
Magistrate Olivia Trumble said Pratt’s offending could “easily result in a term of imprisonment”, and his behaviour “doesn’t speak of someone wanting to prioritise the health and wellbeing of animals”.
Ms Trumble said Pratt continuing to reoffend after being before the court for similar issues was aggravating, and it was clear he had “no intention of complying with the order”.
However, she acknowledged Pratt was under a lot of pressure at the time, was starting to make progress, and things seemed different for him “17 months down the track”.
Pratt was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order, which included 200 hours of community work.
Under the order, Pratt must undergo mental health treatment and participate in appropriate offender programs, with up to 100 hours of these able to count as community work.
Pratt was permanently disqualified from owning or being in charge of horses, and ordered to pay RSPCA costs of $77,130.
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