Auckland owner faces 18-year animal ban

Tatyana Kondratyeva, an Auckland resident with a documented history of animal hoarding, has been barred from owning any animals until at least 2044. This 18-year disqualification was imposed during her most recent sentencing and remains in effect after the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal against the prison term.

The legal process began in 2010 when SPCA inspectors visited Kondratyeva's single-bedroom unit. They discovered dozens of cats confined in the space, many of which were ill, along with what inspectors described as an indescribable stench. Following her conviction on animal welfare charges in 2014, she received a 10-year ban on owning animals.

In 2021, Kondratyeva was found in breach of that order. During October and November of that year, she visited multiple veterinarians using a false name to seek care for a cat named Boy, a female cat named Sweetie, and three kittens. The Court of Appeal noted that she failed to follow professional advice, which included admitting one kitten to 24-hour care and euthanizing Boy, who was emaciated. The court stated that Boy and the kitten suffered slow and distressing deaths.

On November 24, 2021, SPCA inspectors executed a warrant at the property Kondratyeva shared with her partner. They discovered between 200 and 300 poultry, including hens, roosters, and chicks, alongside several cats. The conditions inside the house were described as hot, littered with faeces, and smelling strongly of urine. Six hens and their chicks were kept in cages too small for them to stand or extend their wings, with two lacking access to water.

Further inspections revealed two roosters in a bathroom where more than 2cm of faeces had accumulated on the floor. Two kittens, aged four to six weeks, were found in a bag without food or water, showing symptoms of a viral respiratory illness. A pet carrier held two hens, a chick, and a rooster; the rooster was later euthanized after a veterinarian cited severe and long-term pain. A magpie was also found in poor condition in a small cage and was put down after suffering an extended period of extreme distress.

Kondratyeva was charged with contravening an animal disqualification order and ill-treating animals. These charges were laid representatively to cover multiple instances of the same offense. Although she initially elected a jury trial, she changed her plea to guilty on the day the trial was set to begin. A judge later described this move as a calculated campaign to delay the sentencing.

She was sentenced to 21 months in prison this year, a term that was commuted to home detention once a suitable address became available. On appeal, she argued for intensive supervision and community detention instead. The Court of Appeal rejected this argument. A psychiatric report indicated that while Kondratyeva had no history of mental illness, unresolved grief related to a past medical condition and her father's death in Russia may have driven her to save injured animals despite lacking the means to care for them.

The new disqualification order stands at 18 years. This period begins from the most recent sentencing. The previous 10-year ban from 2014 had already expired by the time of the 2021 breach. The current ban ensures she cannot own animals before 2044.