Ms Hart, who lives in Dunnstown, is an avid animal lover and goat rescuer who accepted the use of a property at Cabbage Tree near Creswick for her goat herd. 

However Ms Hart now finds herself facing pound charges from Hepburn Shire Council, which have been accumulating over the past few weeks.

After a communication breakdown in attempting to recover her goats, Ms Hart had an interim notice placed on her by the land owner who then took most of the goats to the Hepburn pound.

‘‘The goats are a rescue herd that I have spent five years and tens of thousands of dollars on saving and caring for,’’ Ms Hart said. 

‘‘Now by these orders and notices I have received from the Hepburn shire by-laws officer, I cannot go near my goats to feed them or attend to their injuries.’’

Hepburn Shire General Manager Infrastructure Bruce Lucas said the goats were handed to the  council by a third party property owner on  July 12.

 Mr Lucas said the owner was entitled to reclaim the goats prior to a sale by tender if a number of requirements under the Impounding of Livestock Act 1994 were met, including paying the impounding charges and preparing a suitable facility to house the goats.

Ms Hart has sought an extension period to pay the fines from the  council. Ms Hart  took the matter to the Ballarat Magistrates Court  and recently won an application to have her case heard.

She said she also reported the condition of the council pound to the RSPCA.

The land owner was not able to contacted at the time of going to press.