A baby alpaca has been left to die in a Mernda paddock where more than 40 of the animals are allegedly being kept with insufficient shelter, food or water.
Animal rights activists reported the situation to the RSPCA last Wednesday.
RSPCA Victoria confirmed on Friday that a complaint had been received and “actioned upon immediately”.
RSPCA media spokeswoman Sharon MacKenzie said because the issue related to more than 10 animals, it fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR)’s animal health officers, who were formerly part of the Department of Primary Industries.
A Whittlesea council spokeswoman said she understood there had been previous concerns for the alpacas but livestock matters are handled by the RSPCA and Department of Environment and Primary Industries who will be following up.
But she said a DEDJTR inspector was due to assess the situation on Friday afternoon.
Graphic photos of several alpacas were sent to Star Weekly.
The same photos were posted by numerous Facebook groups and have garnered significant attention from animal rights activists.
The images show the animals with dirty, matted coats standing in a dirt-covered paddock without trees, food or water.
In one photo a mother stands next to the corpse of its cria (baby).
Dawn Dempsey, of Newstead, put a call out on social media last Thursday for financial assistance to help with the animals’ rescue costs.
She also asked whether anyone would be willing to adopt any of the animals or help transport them to a new home.
People were quick to offer assistance, some donating to pay for petrol costs, others offering to take as many as 10 alpacas or to donate feed.
Barrie Tapp, a senior investigator from the Animal Cruelty Hotline, and former chief inspector at the RSPCA said the animals were suffering. “This is an urgent matter, these animals are starving.”
He said nothing has been done by the DEDJTR, which told him the property was attended to in January and had been dealt with then.
Star Weekly discussed the matter with a DEDJTR spokesman who was unable to provide any official comment before going to press.
None of the relevant authorities were willing to reveal who owned the property.
