An Auckland woman has been ordered to hand over dozens of animals to the SPCA after she let a horse slowly starve to death.
Anne Power was found guilty last September of ill-treating the 32-year-old gelding, which was found dead on her property in 2013.
An SPCA investigation found the horse suffered from an untreated skin infection, and had gum disease so severe it starved to death.
The Auckland District Court has ordered Power to pay more than $6000 in reparation and legal costs, and has banned her from owning any new animals for eight years.
She is allowed to keep up to four horses, 11 cattle, 18 sheep, four llamas, four dogs, 40 birds and four cats, but will lose at least 60 others.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said an audit was under way to find out how many animals were on Power's property, and what their condition was.
"From a psychological perspective, we're kind of expecting the worst. For instance, the dogs - they're in quite small cages. From all that we know, they're in those cages for at least 23 out of every 24 hours."
She said she was not happy Power was being allowed to keep any animals.
