UPDATE, 5pm:
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The animal-welfare organisation who tipped off RSPCA officers to a kitten farming operation in Ballarat says the alleged perpetrator is believed to have been breeding kittens to sell on social media trading sites.
Oscar's Law founder Deborah Tranter was at the scene of Friday's raids and said the organisation had been investigating the alleged kitten farming operation for months before tipping off authorities.
"We have been following this man for 10 to 12 years now and always wanted to know where he was keeping his breeding cats," she said.
"We were never able to find it until a few months ago when we found these two properties and observed (the man) coming here once a day."
The animal activist said she believed the vacant houses were being used solely to house and breed kittens, which would then be sold on.
Established in 2010, Oscar's Law is an anti-puppy farming volunteer organisation which investigates potential illegal farming operations and raises awareness through public campaigns.
Ms Tranter said the kitten farms, such as the ones raided on Friday, were less common as kittens often made less profit than puppies.
"Kittens don't make a lot of money, whereas puppies command larger prices," she said.
"The cats he has in there are ragdolls, Persians, they are more of the exotic breeds so he can ask for more."
The sale of animals in public places such as parks, roadsides, and car parks is illegal in Victoria under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Dogs and cats must be sold from a registered domestic animal business, a private residence, or a place where an animal sale permit is in place.
Offences under the Domestic Animals Act carry a penalty of 164 units for individuals, equating to $30,326.88.
Offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 carry a penalty of 250 penalty units, equating to $46,230 or imprisonment for 12 months.
"Never, ever meet someone at your local park or a petrol station and get a kitten from a car boot, because that is how they are sold to the public," Ms Tranter said.
"You must see the puppy or kitten with its mother, interacting with its litter mates - and ask a lot of questions."
EARLIER, 1pm:
Two Ballarat properties have been raided and 30 cats and kittens rescued during a crackdown on an alleged illegal kitten breeder.
RSPCA officers assisted by police raided the first property, a vacant house on Grevillea Road in Wendouree, at about 8.50am this morning, and were seen taking kittens in animal containers from the property.
A spokesperson from animal welfare advocacy group Oscar's Law, who was at the scene, told The Courier the first property contained about 30 to 40 kittens, who had spent six to 12 weeks inside the house.
They also said it is suspected the kittens have ringworm, or some other form of skin infection, and called the conditions inside of the house "atrocious".
A man, believed to be the owner of the vacant property, arrived at about 11.30am and spoke to officers at the scene.
The second property, a house in Mount Pleasant, was raided at about 12.15pm.
RSPCA Victoria's Inspectorate Team Leader Lisa Calleja said the investigation involved two people of interest who had previously been prosecuted by RSPCA Victoria for similar offending.
"RSPCA Victoria relies on information from members of the public through reports and tip-offs and these reports are crucial in assisting us to investigate alleged animal welfare offences," she said.
"The Major Investigations Team received a confidential tip-off on Wednesday, 29th March that launched an immediate investigation resulting in the execution of six search warrants at multiple properties within 48 hours."
More to come
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