AN ANIMAL rights advocate courageously intervened last night to save a dog caged in squalor in Melbourne's west, after authorities failed to seize more than 20 dogs from a man whose property was raided on reports that he was slaughtering them for human consumption.

Debra Tranter, the founder of Oscar's Law campaign against puppy farms, last night drove to the Rockbank property and managed to wrangle one of the dogs from the owner, Peter Avraam, who has been charged with offences relating to handling stolen goods and drugs.

One of the dogs had been living in these conditions at the Rockbank property. Credit:Michael Copp

The female dog had been kept in a cage so small she could hardly stand, had a wound on her back and was so starved her spine and ribcage showed clearly through her skin.

Twenty-three dogs remain at the Leakes Road property, according to RSPCA reports, because even after authorities seized allegedly stolen goods, shotguns, drugs and animal meat on Wednesday, they left most of the animals. No dog meat was found on the premises in the raid.