TWO men who shot 33 dogs in a killing spree have been given community-based sentences.
Russell Mendoza and Tony Campbell were sentenced on Friday by Auckland District Court judge Mary Beth Sharp.

Campbell, who was described as more culpable, was sentenced to six months' home detention, while Mendoza was sentenced to six months community detention.

She ordered both to serve 300 hours of community work, if at all possible for the SPCA. They must also pay reparations of $4775.57.


The two were found guilty of four charges of animal cruelty and one of reckless use of a firearm in a two-week trial in May.

Mendoza and Campbell killed the dogs, 21 of which were puppies, at the rural property of Mendoza's neighbour Rowan Hargreaves in Wellsford, north of Auckland, in January 2010.

Judge Sharp described the killing as a "spree of cruel destruction" and a "massacre".

Mendoza had claimed his pet fox terrier had been mauled to death by one of Mr Hargreaves' dogs.

Prosecutor Josh Shaw said Mr Hargreaves signed a document giving them permission to carry out the shootings, but they went about killing them without considering the dogs' welfare, turning it into a "commando exercise".

Judge Sharp said Campbell had been the instigator of the shootings, and that Mendoza was persuaded to go along but didn't intend to do any shooting until a firearm was given to him at the scene.

However, she said both displayed a "bloodlust" once the shootings began.