Jia Xu Dong: Puppy farmer banned from owning animals after more than 100 dogs seized from Canning Vale filth

A Chinese man who ran a filthy puppy farm in Perth’s southeast has been permanently banned from owning any animal nationwide and warned he may be sent to jail. Jia Xu Dong pleaded guilty to 36 animal cruelty offences last month after RSPCA WA seized 105 dogs from his Canning Vale property, and 12 were born after it intervened. RSPCA WA inspectors were confronted with horrific scenes when they went to the house, which was unfurnished, appeared to have no human inhabitants and reeked of dog faeces, which had built up. There were cocker spaniels, corgis, French bulldogs, golden retrievers crossed with poodles (groodles) and other mixed breeds. Some had severely matted and overgrown coats, a puppy appeared to have a bulging eye, and others seemed fearful as the inspectors approached. In Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, RSPCA prosecutor Ruby Harris said the 40-year-old was misleading the court by claiming he now only had two dogs, estimating he had “at least five”. Ms Harris said the animal welfare group was concerned Dong was transferring dogs to other people but remained in control of them - registering one of his dogs to his mother in Japan, for example. “Mr Dong uses deceit and he lies to rangers and the RSPCA inspectors where he keeps his dogs,” Ms Harris said, noting he also had a Como property. “I don’t know how many dogs he has in his possession.” Magistrate Sandra De Maio said Ms Harris’ suspicions were well founded and imposed a forfeiture order, compelling Dong to hand over any animals he had to the RSPCA by 4pm on Saturday. She added he was not to have them “sent away” or transferred “from this moment on”. Dong will then be permanently prohibited from being in charge of any domestic animal from 4.01pm on Saturday. “It basically means you can having nothing to do with the care of an animal ... cats, rats, ferrets - everything,” Ms De Maio said. Dong was swiftly shut down after he kept interjecting and asked: “How can they prove there are any animal?” “RSPCA will be looking into all of these things,” the magistrate said. “I am not giving you advice, I am telling you. “If you do not obey these orders, you will be held in contempt of court and you will be punished accordingly.” Ms Harris accused Dong of stalling tactics when his lawyer claimed he had been acting unusually - committing a string of minor offences after a previously clean record - and asked for an adjournment so psychological and pre-sentencing reports could be obtained. Ms De Maio agreed to adjourn until November 7 but warned Dong he could wind up behind bars. “A term of imprisonment is not out of the question for you,” she said. “If you do anything that compromises your position before sentencing, it will not go well for you. “It may tip the balance to actual imprisonment.”