Sheep Farmer Fined $20,000 and Banned for Five Years for Animal Cruelty

Strategic Insights -

A Stockyard Hill farmer, Matthew Fleay, has been fined $20,000 and banned from owning sheep for five years after pleading guilty to eight charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Livestock Disease Control Regulations Act. The court heard that Agriculture Victoria officers attended Mr Fleay's property on 15 occasions between October 2023 and March 2024, finding 45 sheep suffering from flystrike, worms, and a low body condition, which were ultimately euthanized. Magistrate Julia Barling stated that Mr Fleay's failure to provide adequate care to the animals was "completely intolerable" and that the case highlighted the importance of proper care and attention to animals in the farming community.

Key Takeaways:

  • Matthew Fleay pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Livestock Disease Control Regulations Act.
  • The court heard that Agriculture Victoria officers attended Mr Fleay's property on 15 occasions between October 2023 and March 2024, finding 45 sheep suffering from flystrike, worms, and a low body condition.
  • Magistrate Julia Barling stated that 646 sheep were found without eartags, posing a significant risk to the community and the agriculture sector in Australia.
  • Mr Fleay was banned from owning sheep for five years, starting on November 1, 2025.
  • The court considered Mr Fleay's personal circumstances, including his father's ill-health and his role as a carer, but emphasized the importance of proper care and attention to animals in farming.
  • Agriculture Victoria officers found a sheep that could not rise without assistance, which was euthanized and found to be severely dehydrated and infected with worms.
  • Four deceased sheep in a pit were discovered on the property, and it was noted that Mr Fleay had failed to move the 31 sheep euthanized on a previous visit.
  • Mr Fleay's solicitor stated that his client fell on hard times due to seasonal conditions and his father's ill-health, but Magistrate Barling emphasized that this did not excuse his failure to provide proper care to the animals.

Statistics:

  • 15: The number of occasions that Agriculture Victoria officers attended Mr Fleay's property between October 2023 and March 2024.
  • 45: The number of sheep euthanized due to flystrike, worms, and a low body condition.
  • 646: The number of sheep found without eartags, posing a significant risk to the community and the agriculture sector in Australia.
  • 5 years: The length of Mr Fleay's ban on owning sheep, starting on November 1, 2025.
  • 1200: The number of adult sheep and 300 lambs that Mr Fleay was the owner and person in charge of at the time of the offending.

Sources:

  • Monique Patterson, "Sheep Farmer Fined $20,000 and Banned for Five Years for Animal Cruelty," [Source not provided]
  • Court transcript, Ballarat Magistrates' Court, August 27 [Year not provided]