A man who admitted abusing and starving three puppies, one of which died, has been fined and sentenced to community service.
Tekana Katuke pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court on Wednesday to several charges of failing to care of the animals.
The SPCA found two underweight three-month-old puppies on his Manurewa property after being notified by police who were investigating a domestic violence incident there.
A third puppy found buried in the back yard had starved to death.
Katuke was sentenced to 200 hours' community service, ordered to pay $997 in fines and banned from owning an animal for five years.
