Animal Kingdom In Diggers Rest

[Lemonlime]

Full story below. Links to photos HERE. Anyone who lives in or near Diggers Rest like myself will know instantly who this person is. Thank god that sad excuse for a human being is FINALLY gone. This is the same person who featured on the RSPCA Animal Rescue program earlier in the year. Shame on the Melton Council and shame on the RSPCA.

"SQUATTERS have trashed a Diggers Rest house, leaving behind a trail of destruction and 53 unwanted pets.

Animal rescue volunteers have recovered 30 cats, six dogs, 15 guinea pigs, a rabbit, and a goose from the derelict property on the Old Calder Highway.

One dog has since had to be destroyed due to an untreatable skin condition.

The remainder of the animals have been taken to the RSPCA shelter at Burwood.

Diggers Rest resident Leone Downey believes a woman and two teenage children had been squatting in the property opposite Diggers Rest Railway Station for the past three years.

Three months ago the owner of the property, who lives in Queensland, ordered the woman to be evicted.

Western Suburbs Animal Rescue Service manager Nathan Miles was given written permission by the real estate agent to remove the animals from the house.

Mr Miles said the house was in such a state of disrepair and smelt so badly that “a strong stomach” was needed to go inside.

When Leader visited the house yesterday, animal faeces and straw was strewn throughout the house along with piles of rubbish, dirty dishes and stained clothing.

The bathroom, where two dogs were found, was unusable with animal faeces smeared across the bottom of the shower.

Some of the rooms could not even be accessed due to mountains of rubbish, while the indoor swimming pool was filled with sludge.

Mrs Downey said two ponies, a llama, sheep and goat were also reportedly seen on the property but were not found.

Mrs Downey claimed neighbours raised concerns about the number of animals and associated health risks on the property with Melton Council in February this year. “Neighbours have been reporting rats coming from the property and concerns were raised about the treatment of animals,” she said.

“The council has been made more than aware about these concerns but tend to forget about us out here.”

Melton Mayor Justin Mammarella said he was aware of the concerns but claims the council had done nothing about them were untrue.

He said the concerns were brought to the attention of council’s local laws officers who referred the complaint to the RSPCA."

Edited June 14, 2011 by groupfive

[lovemymutts]

I remember this place being on tv. Thank goodness it has now been resolved, even if one dog did have to be destroyed, better than living a life of misery!

[Kirty]

Disgusting.

[toy dog]

i can smell it from here

[tlc]

What disgusting excuses for humans they are, those poor animals.

The pool

[toy dog]

What disgusting excuses for humans they are, those poor animals.

The pool

from what i can make out it use to be a nice house i wondered how do some humans get to that stage that they live in such squalor

[Keira&Phoenix]

How on earth anyone could live in that is beyond me, it makes me want to throw up just looking at it. I couldn't live like that. Those poor animals, so glad they have now been removed from that disgusting mess.

How could the Council and RSPCA let that go for so long?? How did the owner allow that to go for so long?

As someone else said it must have been a decent house at one stage. It has an indoor pool, a bar etc.

Humans never fail to surprise me in the worst ways possible.

[HazyWal]

Putrid poor excuses for human beings

[Pointees]

I lived next to this lady YEARS ago, and even then it was DIGUSTING.

She does have two children.

Used to drive past this house daily. She used to have more rabbits, but they were always running around the front yard with the goats, llamas, and ponies, while a dog was chained to the tree.

Hopefully the owners of the house can fix it up. It wasn't a bad house before hand, and from the photos, the inside was nice before hand too.

[twodoggies2001]

I lived next to this lady YEARS ago, and even then it was DIGUSTING.

She does have two children.

Used to drive past this house daily. She used to have more rabbits, but they were always running around the front yard with the goats, llamas, and ponies, while a dog was chained to the tree.

Hopefully the owners of the house can fix it up. It wasn't a bad house before hand, and from the photos, the inside was nice before hand too.

The house looks ripe for demolition. I don't think you could get the small out of it

[Sir Sniffalot]

Gosh l remember going to this place with a friend to view a pony years ago and looking at the indoor pool and thinking how could they let it get this run down. From memory her business partner lived on the other side of the railway lines. No doubt Fiona will find somewhere else to live and start collecting animals again.

[mr.mister]

I remember every time I went past Digger's on the train I would notice that house and wonder what on earth was going on in there. Some people beggar belief.

[chevorne]

Is this person a registered breeder?

[Pointees]

Gosh l remember going to this place with a friend to view a pony years ago and looking at the indoor pool and thinking how could they let it get this run down. From memory her business partner lived on the other side of the railway lines. No doubt Fiona will find somewhere else to live and start collecting animals again.

Your correct, he did live across the railway lines.

He was not a nice man either.