Two greyhounds rescued from a Deddington property were severely emaciated, the Launceston Magistrates Court heard on Friday.
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Dean Richard Barwick, 43, of Beauty Point, pleaded not guilty to two counts of cruelty to animals and two counts of continuing offence-cruelty to animals in May 2020.
The court heard that Mr Barwick was a registered greyhound trainer and owner from 2011 to 2019.
He was unrepresented by a lawyer in court.
Emma Haswell, of Brightside Farm Sanctuary, said she had been called by Mr Barwick's former wife who was concerned about the greyhounds Swaggie and Molly at the Deddington property.
Ms Haswell said she rang Mr Barwick and he invited her to collect the dogs on May 18, 2020. He fetched them from behind a shed.
She said he told her he had been feeding them every day, although he said he could not remember saying that.
"I put them straight in the van. I was so shocked, I have never ever seen greyhounds in that condition before," she said.
"They were severely, severely emaciated.
"It was horrifying, they had pressure sores where they had been lying down and their muscles were so atrophied they couldn't move."
Ms Haswell told the court she had rescued 2500 greyhounds.
She said she had left quickly and taken photographs within half an hour.
She said she took them to the Brightside at Cygnet and fed them.
"They were absolutely ravenous, I've never seen a greyhound eat like that before, their hunger was mind blowing," she said.
Veterinary surgeon Isobel Brazier said that it would have taken several months of underfeeding for the dogs to get into the condition she saw on May 20, 2020.
The dog called Swaggie weighed 26.8 kilograms and increased to 30.8kg by June 24. The dog called Molly weighed 22.6kg and increased to 29.3kg by May 24.
"Would Swaggie's condition be obvious to a carer?" RSPCA prosecutor Malcolm Caulfield asked.
"Yes," Dr Brazier said.
"How could a carer have improved his health?" he asked.
"Fed him appropriate nutrition," she said.
RSPCA chief inspector Lisa Edwards said that a property search revealed Mr Barwick was a joint owner of the property until August 2020.
Ms Edwards said Mr Barwick's ex-wife had told her she was unable to go to the property and had left them in the care of Mr Barwick.
Mr Barwick gave evidence that a Family Court settlement meant that he was not the owner of the dogs.
He said he had been working in Melbourne, but had no dates.
Magistrate Sharon Cure asked that Mr Barwick produce documentation but he said he did not have it.
"It's all very vague, Mr Barwick," she said.
Ms Cure said that because he was unrepresented he needed to be given a chance to prove his defence.
"He has not been particularly organised but these are very serious matters.
Mr Caulfield submitted that the dates of the charges were not impacted by the dates from the Family Court.
"I think we are about to go off on a huge tangent," he said.
Ms Cure told Mr Barwick she wanted him to "go away and get this material".
She adjourned the case until April 28.
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