Two cream dogs with matted and dirty coats were in an overgrown enclosure.
White and Laurent were each ordered to perform 300 hours community work, pay $3000 reparation and disqualified from owning animals for 15 years.
However, a pitbull terrier, a chihuahua papillon cross named Spike, Dingo the cat and a snake-necked turtle were discovered in the couple's Boyd Rd house in Waipu on August 16, 2013.
Two Whangarei SPCA officers and two police officers went to the property after a tipoff from a member of the public.
White and Laurent's daughter told the officers her family had lived in the house for two years and had two dogs and two cats.
The animals were brought to the Whangarei SPCA. The pitbull terrier was aggressive and unable to be handled, and Spike was in poor condition and had long toenails.
Dingo was unkempt but Murtle was generally in good condition.
The couple claimed the animals were owned by other people, including their neighbour but could not provide proof.
Judge Greg Davis told the couple yesterday they would go to prison if there were further breaches of court orders.
"I am making the point loudly and clearly you are not to have animals because neither of you are fit to have animals in your possession or to own them.
"The court had made an order for the protection of those animals and a message needs to go out that those who own or exercise control over animals must look after them," he said.
Judge Davis said the protection of animals was paramount rather than the fact those who abuse or neglect them needed their company or wanted to socialise with their pets.
"You had in your possession control of those animals when you had previously been convicted and banned from owning or exercising control over them. That was a flagrant disregard of court order."
Judge Davis also ordered them to pay $1603 each in reparation to the Whangarei SPCA.
All except the the pitbull terrier have been re-homed.
