Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Two people have been sentenced to community work and home detention over a violent attack on a six-month-old puppy.
SPCA was called to a property in September last year, after a man was seen hitting a dog with a wooden stick.
After visiting the property, SPCA inspectors discovered the Sharpei cross named Lexi tied to a stake at the back of the section.
"Lexi was unable to bear weight on her hind legs, she had scabs on her head, and blood smeared across her side and at the end of her nose," the SPCA said.
The female offender was at the property when the inspectors arrived, saying a log had fallen on Lexi a week earlier, and that she had been limping and hopping, unable to bear any weight on her left-hind leg, since.
"The defendant said she had contacted a vet, but not followed through due to their financial situation."
The animal was taken to the Māngere Centre, where an examination revealed it was too painful for the dog to walk on both hind limbs.
The SPCA also said Lexi had a cut on her nose and bruising inside her cheek, injuries consistent with recent blunt force trauma.
Due to the severity of her injuries and the amount of pain the animal was in, vets decided to have the puppy euthanised.
A postmortem of the dog's body revealed more injuries including several fractured ribs, some of which were days old and others weeks or more old, and a forehead fracture.
When the female offender was informed the dog's injuries were all consistent with trauma and being beaten during the trial, she said her partner had smacked the dog, but "she hadn't witnessed him do more than that".
The male offender said he might have "punched and kicked her a couple of times but couldn't remember the details", the SPCA said.
SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said it was devastating that Lexi's short life was one of fear, trauma and pain.
"The cruel treatment that Lexi endured during her last few weeks is incredibly upsetting and she deserved better.
"Not only is the defendants' behaviour towards Lexi incredibly distressing, it's inexcusable that they didn't seek veterinary care and left her suffering in extreme pain. She deserved so much better."
The 32-year-old woman, who pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to treat an injured animal in July, was today sentenced to six months supervision and 80 hours community work.
The 34-year-old man appeared in the Manukau District Court in May, charged with two counts of reckless ill treatment of an animal and one count of failing to treat an injured animal.
He was sentenced in September to eight months' home detention.
The defendants were also disqualified from owning animals for eight years, and ordered to pay $1345.44 in reparations.