An Auckland man who kept chickens and other birds in horrible conditions has been sentenced to home detention.
Keshva Rajan pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to three charges over the mistreatment of about 600 birds at his property in Glenbrook in rural South Auckland.
SPCA inspectors found the birds in muddy, filthy coups as well as in tightly-confined batteries.
Some were so malnourished that they were attempting to cannibalise other dead birds.
Multiple birds were seized and many were euthanised as they could not be saved.
The SPCA had previously visited Rajan and warned him about the keeping birds, and he had indicated he would sell his stock and close the business, but he then started another at a new address.
His sentence was six months of home detention, 150 hours of community work, and he was ordered to pay veterinary and court costs of $3840.
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