A retail assistant in Whangarei has been disqualified from owning animals for three years and ordered to do community work for ill-treating his dog.
Ryan Branson, 42, earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of ill-treating his dog under the Animal Welfare Act and appeared for sentencing in the Whangarei District Court last week.
Branson was convicted and ordered to perform 125 hours of community work and to pay half of the $840 in reparation sought by the SPCA.
Branson's dog, a tan and white staffordshire bull terrier about 15 years old, had half of its body covered in mange when an animal control officer visited his property in Raumanga on September 30, 2011.
Two further visits were made and on the third visit in October last year, Branson agreed for his dog to be euthanised after being advised by an animal control officer.