Geraldton woman Jessica Robyn Callow fined $2000 for leaving kitten without food and water

A Geraldton woman who left a kitten without access to food or water for days last summer has been fined $2000 and banned from owning a pet for three years. Jessica Robyn Callow, 33, appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to one count of cruelty to animals. The court was told an RSPCA inspector attended a call out on January 4 to a Bluff Point residence, with a neighbour saying they had heard a cat “crying loudly” inside the property. The inspector saw the 10-12-week-old kitten pacing back and forth in a “distressed” manner in front of the upstairs bedroom window. Her attempts to contact Callow were unsuccessful and she was granted approval to enter the property to access the kitten using a locksmith on January 5. There was no food or water for the kitten upstairs and in the kitchen downstairs there was only a can of tuna on the bench, an ice-cream container of spoiled milk on the floor and the tap was slowly flowing into the sink. The court was told the inspector believed the kitten was too young to jump up on to the 1m high kitchen bench. A vet examined the kitten and determined she was dehydrated and underweight, but the pet has since made a full recovery. Defence counsel Georgia Keyers said Callow had travelled to Perth on December 31 to visit her son who was not in her care. While there, she became unwell with pregnancy-related sickness and missed her bus back to Geraldton. She told the court the kitten had been gifted to Callow’s seven-year-old daughter by a friend, even though Callow did not want the responsibility of caring for her four children and a pet. Ms Keysers said Callow was “extremely remorseful” about her actions. Magistrate Angus Hockton said given her circumstances, he would fine Callow the minimum penalty of $2000. Callow was also ordered to forfeit ownership of the cat — which is now in the care of the RSPCA — and pay the $289 in locksmith and vet costs. She will not be allowed to own a pet until 2025.