A disturbing case of horse neglect has unfolded at a property in Mount Eliza on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, where 35 sick and starving horses were seized by police and the RSPCA after a six-month campaign by activists. The property, owned by former thoroughbred trainer Maxine Galpin (also known as Maxine Fraser), has long been in poor condition with horses suffering from severe wounds, infections, and malnutrition. Despite multiple inspections and Galpin’s disqualification from the racing industry in 2016, she continued to own and breed horses, exploiting gaps in legislation that limit authorities’ ability to intervene unless clear legal thresholds of neglect are met.

The case has highlighted significant shortcomings in Victoria’s animal welfare laws, which currently make it difficult to act on neglect before animals reach critical harm. Activists and animal welfare advocates are calling on the state government to urgently pass the long-delayed Animal Care and Protection Bill, which would introduce a positive duty of care standard to allow earlier intervention. Meanwhile, the RSPCA and local authorities remain constrained by outdated legislation and limited jurisdiction, leaving some horses still at risk on the property. The Mount Eliza crisis has intensified public pressure for comprehensive reform to prevent similar suffering in the future.