By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
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SPRINGVALE mechanic Vu Ho, who has waged a Supreme Court battle to keep his pet sheep at home, has revealed the earlier involvement of an RSPCA inspector over shearing the animal.
Before his $150,000 legal battle with Greater Dandenong Council, Mr Ho had been embroiled in a tangle with RSPCA inspectors over his sheep’s unshorn coat.
The Weekly has seen copies of two RSPCA notices to comply issued to Mr Ho to have his sheep Baa shorn – the first in November 2009 and then February 29, 2011.
Two days after the second order, the council issued an order for him to remove his sheep.
Mr Ho said he had sent three letters to the RSPCA arguing that his sheep’s long wool was not harmful. None of his letters received a reply, he said.
“At the last meeting, [the inspector’s] boss asked me to shear the rump of the sheep. So I told him: ‘That is easy. Just a few minutes I can finish it. But our dispute must end here, and let the wool grow naturally’. He was a very good mediator. But [the inspector] was not happy so the council was called in.”
The RSPCA did not follow through with its orders but the council dispute escalated to a $220 fine – which Mr Ho refused to pay – and a Supreme Court fight.
The council does not allow livestock to be kept on property less than half a hectare. Mr Ho has argued his sheep is a pet.
Last month, Mr Ho lost his Supreme Court case – a fight that cost about $150,000 – and is requesting that Legal Aid fund a Supreme Court appeal.
Last week, the RSPCA conceded it had been “liaising with [the] council during this process, even though there is no official requirement to do so” and that it had given “advice” to shear the sheep.
Senior inspector Simon Primrose said it was “not uncommon” for sheep to be kept as pets.
He said “upon inspection, the sheep appeared in good body condition, showed no signs of fly strike and was not showing any symptoms of pain, suffering or distress”.
“The owner was given advice relating to shearing his sheep and general husbandry. He was also advised of the possible ramifications if the situation deteriorated.”
Mr Primrose said the sheep was monitored by Mr Ho on a daily basis and was “not subjected to the usual elements that sheep would normally be exposed to, therefore reducing the risk of fly strike or becoming cast”.
He said as a general rule a sheep should be shorn once a year, leading into the summer months.
“If a sheep is not shorn leading into the summer months then there is a risk of fly strike. If a sheep has a heavy wool burden and gets wet then there is a risk that the sheep could ‘cast’, which essentially means that it is unable to stand or rise.”
Greater Dandenong Council did not comment.
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