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A woman has been sentenced after a malnourished puppy was found with a healed bullet wound in his leg, a fractured hip, and a stomach full of fish bones.

The defendant pleaded guilty in Tauranga District Court yesterday to a charge of ill treatment and failing to provide proper and sufficient food to an animal.

SPCA inspectors were called in June last year to the woman’s property, where the 5-month-old pitbull cross puppy, known as Patchy, was discovered.

They said the puppy was emaciated, had an “obvious limp”, and stood with his right hind leg off the ground.

X-ray scans found Patchy had a fractured hip, which was estimated to have occurred two weeks earlier.

A bullet was also found lodged in his leg, though the wound had since healed.

Patchy was “humanely euthanised” due to the extent of his injuries and his emaciated state.

Vets concluded Patchy’s hip injury caused severe and ongoing pain and significantly limited his mobility.

Post-mortem examinations found his stomach was filled with more than 100 fishbones and large fish scales.

SPCA CEO Tood Westwood said the case was a heartbreaking example of neglect.

“A puppy’s early start to life is a time where it should be the most joyous,” Westwood said.

“At 5 months old, this puppy was suffering in pain, misery and starvation.

“The owner had every opportunity to seek help from a veterinarian or SPCA for food or assistance ... but chose not to.

“As a result, Patchy’s life ended before it even began.”

The woman admitted to inspectors that she had noticed Patchy was in pain and gave him antibiotics and paracetamol in his food.

She said she could not afford to take him to the vet.

The owner received a sentence of nine months’ supervision and 100 hours of community work.

She was also disqualified from owning all animals for three years and ordered to pay $828 in reparations and $250 to cover legal fees.