THE RSPCA wants the State Government to bring in legislation to ensure people convicted of hoarding

Wednesday, 06 February 2008 dogs.jpgcats.jpg ALEXANDRA TREDREA June 30, 2007 01:15am THE RSPCA wants the State Government to bring in legislation to ensure people convicted of hoarding animals were treated for mental illness. The plea comes as another animal welfare group, CatRescue, backed the RSPCA's request the government recognise animal hoarding - involving people living in places overcrowded with pets - as a psychiatric issue. RSPCA spokeswoman Aimee McKay said people convicted by the courts of animal cruelty should be forced to undergo some form of counselling. "It is difficult to charge people with animal cruelty if they are mentally ill," Ms McKay said. "But we would like to see some legislation brought in that (says) if a person is found guilty of animal cruelty and has a mental illness they would be offered counselling." One Adelaide couple, Joseph and Margaret Higham, are before court on charges they kept more than 120 dogs at their Sutherland property. Ms McKay said the RSPCA was concerned about cases such as these. "We want to liaise with the government and get together with all these (animal welfare) groups and try to come up with some sort of solution," she said. A spokesman for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister Gail Gago said the RSPCA was yet to raise the issue with the government. "We would be happy to listen to their views and see if the current mechanisms are adequate in relation to dog hoarders found guilty of animal cruelty offences," he said. "The issue is not about the number of animals people keep, it's about how they keep them. "There are already mechanisms generally within the legal system to deal with people who commit crimes while suffering from a mental illness." CatRescue chairman Derek Knox said the RSPCA was taking the right approach. "Animal hoarders seek the gratitude and thanks the public shows them for saving animals," he said. Monash University Associate Professor Eleonora Gullone said animal hoarders did not realise their actions were wrong.