A 29-year-old man from Baldivis was fined $5,000 in the Rockingham Magistrates Court for using an inhumane steel-jaw trap to catch and kill ravens. The man intended to use the birds as a deterrent to prevent other animals from entering his chicken yard. He admitted to RSPCA inspectors that he would lure birds with eggs and kill them once trapped.
Magistrate Sarah Oliver described the actions as “unacceptable, cruel and malicious,” noting the trap caused a “terrifying and painful experience” for the animals. The man’s 28-year-old partner was also fined $600 for obstructing an RSPCA WA inspector by attempting to hide a trapped raven during the investigation.
In a separate case heard the same day, a 36-year-old man received a $2,500 fine and a 12-month ban on animal ownership after RSPCA WA inspectors found a cat tied to a tree branch in a Medina park during extreme heat.