A BIGGA dog breeder who falsified documents about a dog's breeding and pedigree before selling it has narrowly avoided going to jail.
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Kate Hammond, 54, of Grabine Rd, Bigga pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception as well as four counts of using a false document to obtain financial advantage when she appeared in Goulburn Local Court on February 3.
Police facts said that, on November 14, 2012 a woman contacted Hammond via the Southern Cross Klee Kai website to purchase an Alaskan Klee Kai breed of dog and over the next few years they corresponded about obtaining such a dog.
On September 5, 2014 Hammond contacted the woman by email, letting her know the puppy was available for $5000.
The woman agreed to pay the money as long as Hammond provided the dog's official health, DNA and breeder's papers from the United Kennel Club in the United States, which proves the pedigree of the dog.
All of these items were listed in the purchase price on the website.
On September 10, 2014 Hammond provided the woman with the requested documents via email, including: DNA results from Sillect Care Animal Hospital in Bakerfield, California; DNA analysis results from 'VetGen'; and health checks conducted by a registered veterinarian named 'Jenny Churchill' with a letterhead showing the business details of 'Bowral Veterinary Clinic and Artificial Breeding Centre'.
On receipt of these documents via email, the woman transferred the money to Hammond as well as paying for shipping at a total cost of $5218.
On September 12, 2014 the woman collected the puppy from Qantas Freight Services in Brisbane. She noted that there was no paperwork or registration accompanying the puppy.
Over the next few weeks the woman attempted to contact Hammond to provide these documents.
On October 26, 2014 the woman received an Express Post envelope from Hammond, which contained: a certificate of sterilisation from Durham St Veterinary Clinic, Bathurst; an immunisation passport, also from Durham St Veterinary Clinic; and a companion animal register.
The woman did not receive the registration papers and Hammond failed to respond to inquiries and requests after that.
The woman then contacted a number of vets in Hammond's area.
On making a call to the Crookwell Veterinary Hospital, she was advised by the head vet, Rob Churchill, that the documents supplied by Hammond were falsified and that the 'Bowral Vet Clinic and Artificial Breeding Group' did not exist, and that a laboratory DNA test from a lab in the US was also false.
Further, the vet's name on the document was that of Mr Churchill's wife, Jenny, which had also been falsified.
The woman also contacted VetGen and was advised that these documents were also not from their lab.
On November 4, 2014 the woman attended Tweed Heads Police Station and provided a statement to police.
In March 2015, the woman had the pup's pedigree and genetic health checked.
The results showed the mother was a pure bred Japanese Spitz and the father was a half-breed Alaskan Klee Kai, meaning the pup was only one-quarter Alaskan Klee Kai. This check cost the woman $115.
Hammond was later arrested and charged with the offences by police.
In court, Hammond's solicitor said she was suffering from a high level of financial stress following the sale of a Bigga property, which had provided her livelihood, and was also suffering from sleep apnea at the time of the fraud.
"She said she was on auto-pilot at the time," her solicitor said.
But Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman was having none of these excuses.
"You are responsible for your actions and they have been criminal, dishonest and fraudulent," Ms Huntsman said.
"I have to denounce your behaviour because I do not see remorse or acceptance of responsibility on your behalf."
She gave Hammond an eight-month suspended jail sentence.
"If you commit any offences during this time you will go straight to jail," she added.
