Puppy farmer dies before sentencing on 215 welfare charges

A 41-year-old man charged with 215 animal welfare related offences following the discovery of a puppy farm has died.

RSPCA has discontinued charges against Haris Ljuhar, the owner of a Glenarbon property where a large number of dogs were found in January last year.

He was charged with a record 215 animal welfare related offences after RSPCA Inspectors and Queensland police raided the property and seized 81 dogs and 10 cats.

A large number of dogs, mainly American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Australian and American Bulldogs and French Bulldogs were on the property which had inadequate shelter and water and a number of the dogs were carrying injuries that needed urgent veterinary treatment.

There was one dog that was sharing a small space with another that had died and there were the remains of a number of corpses lying near dogs that were tethered.

The animals were forfeited to the RSPCA at Wacol and almost all were rehomed.

He was charged in March 2017.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said a man at the centre of the investigation died of medical causes in March and the police file had been discontinued.

Ljuhar was expected to appear in a Goondiwindi court for sentencing on Tuesday.

He did not enter a plea in relation to the charges.