Emmanuel Cuschieri, 64, of South Nowra faces 13 charges in a case brought by the RSPCA.

He is charged with three counts of being in charge of an animal and failing to provide veterinary treatment, three counts of failing to provide proper and sufficient food to an animal and seven counts of being a proprietor/manager who failed to comply with requirements.

The charges stem from the alleged lack of care of a number of animals, two dogs and a pony, between 2016 and 2017.

The case alleges a male mastiff dog named Blade wasn’t provided with veterinary care between January 5-19 this year, despite suffering infections in both ears. Cuschieri is accused of failing to provide food resulting, according to the RSPCA report, in the animal being in “very poor” body condition.

It is alleged between December 19 last year and January 19 this year another dog, a male Chihuahua called Jasper, wasn’t given adequate food, was in “poor” body condition and was suffering a skin condition.

The court heard between November last year and January this year, a miniature pony mare wasn’t provided with sufficient food and was in a “poor” body condition.

Cuschieri was also charged with failing to comply with regulations as a animal boarding establishment.

Court documents said he failed to control fleas, rodents, dispose of droppings properly and hygienically in accordance with local government authority, failed to identify all animals, failed to record each animal in boarding, failed to ask owners of boarding animals to sign agreements authorising veterinary treatment, failed to comply with policy dealing with unclaimed animals and failed to ensure owners of animals were aware of the policy of dealing with unclaimed animals.

Cuschieri did not enter any pleas to the charges when he faced registrar Craig Cockurn in Nowra Local Court.

The matter is due to return to court on December 8.