Stacey James Mikara, 39, appeared in the Invercargill District Court yesterday and admitted failing to ensure his dog received treatment to alleviate unnecessary pain or distress.
An SPCA summary of facts said that on June 30, 2023, the Staffordshire bull terrier, called Mike, was found dead inside a kennel by SPCA officers after they were alerted to the dog’s plight.
It was clear the dog had been tethered to the area for quite some time, as there was a large muddy circle around the kennel.
His body was in poor condition with his ribs, spine and pelvic bones all clearly visible.
‘‘He had a black, worn collar around his neck that was loose, and connected to a rusted chain that was in turn tethered to the kennel,’’ the summary said.
‘‘The smell from the body was described as a smell of decomposing flesh. The eyes were sunken in, and his face was gaunt. His entire body was skeletal.’’
A post-mortem showed Mike was ‘‘emaciated’’ and all his fat reserves had been utilised - a process that takes weeks. His stomach and intestines were almost completely empty.
Mikara told the inspectors Mike was his dog and he last checked on him about a week prior.
He said at that time he thought the dog looked malnourished.
‘‘Mr Mikara stated that he didn’t know what was wrong with Mike as he would normally eat anything and everything,’’ the summary said.
He had not contacted a vet or the SPCA because he could not afford to.
Yesterday, Mikara was banned from owning dogs for five years.
He was ordered to complete 200 hours’ community work, pay reparation of $233.88 for veterinary costs and $500 towards legal costs.
SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood said the dog’s suffering was ‘‘entirely avoidable’’.
‘‘The prolonged tethering of dogs is totally unacceptable and heartbreaking,’’ he said.
He said tethering was a ‘‘cruel practice’’ and new regulations to address the issue would be released later this year.
