Dog left without food, water for one month
Glen Innes, AU (NZ)Incident Date: Monday, Dec 24, 2007
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Paulette Taki
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
The owner of emaciated puppy Eve is to be charged with three counts of animal cruelty. The charges against Glen Innes woman Paulette Taki were laid by the SPCA at the Auckland District Court last week.
SPCA general manager David Lloyd-Barker, who is awaiting a date for a court hearing, told Sunday News: "She'll be charged with three counts under the animal welfare act ... ill treating an animal; failing to provide an animal with protection from any significant injury or disease, and failing to provide an animal with sufficient food and water."
Eve's story shocked Sunday News readers when it was revealed the 11-month-old Ridgeback cross had been rescued from Taki's home by SPCA officers on Christmas Eve.
The pup, believed left alone for about five weeks, could barely stand and every bone in her skeletal 10 kg frame was visible.
The SPCA has been trying to speak to Taki since, but despite failing to make contact, has decided to press ahead with charges.
"She's still the person in charge as far as we are concerned," Lloyd-Barker added.
When Sunday News tracked Taki down to a relative's home in Katikati, north of Tauranga, she denied responsibility for the pup's poor condition, saying she had left Eve in the care of a family member while she visited a sick aunt.
She also said she would return to Auckland to talk to the SPCA and "sort it out".
But Lloyd-Barker told Sunday News Taki was not at home when officers visited to discuss the matter and she had not responded to letters.
Once a court date has been set, Lloyd-Barker said they will return to her Glen Innes house in a bid to serve a summons.
Taki told Sunday News to "get lost" when approached for comment on Friday.
Case UpdatesA woman charged with leaving her 11-month-old puppy to starve is still on the run, three weeks after failing to turn up for her sentencing.
Paulette Taki, 40, was due to be sentenced at Auckland District Court on September 29 on three animal cruelty charges after SPCA officers found a dog locked underneath a house on Christmas Eve.
A warrant for Taki's arrest was issued when she didn't turn up at court, the fourth occasion she had failed to attend a scheduled court appearance.
SPCA general manager David Lloyd-Barker said police hadn't been able to find her since.
Mr Lloyd-Barker said he believed it was likely Taki would spend some time in jail for the offence and she was trying to escape it.
Constable Emma Lawrence of Auckland Police said inquiries both in and out of Auckland had failed to find any trace of her.
Taki faces charges including failing to provide the dog, known as Eve, with protection from significant injury and disease.
Eve reportedly looked like a carcass when found and apparently survived by eating her own faeces at the home in Glen Innes, a suburb 10km east of downtown Auckland.
Eve was put in a new home earlier this year and SPCA inspectors said she was reportedly doing well. | Source: New Zealand Herald - Oct 21, 2008
Update posted on Oct 21, 2008 - 1:55AM |
A warrant has been issued to arrest a woman charged with leaving her 11-month-old puppy to starve, after she failed to appear at court today.
Paulette Taki, 40, was due to be sentenced at Auckland District Court today on three animal cruelty charges after SPCA officers found a dog locked underneath a house on Christmas Eve.
But Taki did not turn up as scheduled, and a warrant for her arrest was issued as a result.
Auckland SPCA lawyer Jo Wickliffe said Taki had yet to appear at court as scheduled.
"That's four times out of four that she hasn't shown up."
Taki faces charges including failing to provide the dog, known as Eve, with protection from significant injury and disease.
The dog looked like a carcass when found and apparently survived by eating her own faeces at the home in Glen Innes, a suburb 10km east of downtown Auckland .
SPCA inspector Todd Neal, who removed Eve from the property last year, said he was disappointed the case had not been concluded.
"She's clearly reluctant to face up to her responsibility as a dog owner," Mr Neal said outside the court.
"Thankfully Eve's now in a good home. It's dog heaven really -- if anything she's overweight now." | Source: 3 News - Sept 29, 2008
Update posted on Sep 29, 2008 - 1:47PM |
A woman accused of starving her puppy for a month has finally appeared in court over what the SPCA has described as one of New Zealand's worst cases of animal neglect.
Paulette Taki, 30, avoided police and SPCA inspectors for nearly six months, but was last week arrested and appeared in Auckland District Court. She pleaded not guilty to three charges under the Animal Welfare Act for starving her 11-month old Staffordshire-ridgeback-cross puppy - renamed Eve because SPCA staff rescued her on Christmas Eve.
The SPCA alleges Taki left Eve without food and water for four weeks, the puppy surviving only by eating flies and her own faeces. She weighed only 10kg and could barely stand when found.
Taki left the dog in the care of a relative while she went on holiday, her lawyer Mary Kennedy told the court. "She's terribly sorry about the dog and feels the shame of it," Kennedy said. "She is terrified of these charges."
Taki was summonsed to appear in court in February but an arrest warrant was issued when she failed to appear. She was further charged last week with two breaches of failing to complete 200 hours of community service.
Barrister Jo Wickliffe, on behalf of the SPCA, and the Probation Service opposed bail.
Taki has been placed under house arrest until a second bail hearing at the Auckland District Court next Friday. Judge Geoff Rea said Taki was "unhelpful, unlikely to appear and avoiding her obligations".
Judge Rea ordered another bail hearing on Friday to see if an earlier court date could be found before Taki's next court appearance in August and placed her on 24-hour curfew.
If Taki was not home, or failed to appear next week, Rea warned she would go to jail.
"I will Your Honour, I will be there," Taki said tearfully.
Auckland SPCA general manager David Lloyd-Barker said Eve was recovering well.
If found guilty, Taki faces a maximum penalty of a $25,000 fine or six months in jail. | Source: New Zealand Herald - May 18, 2008
Update posted on May 19, 2008 - 1:12AM |
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