POOR Guinea was so weak and starving an RSPCA officer had to carry him to his car when he was seized from a Deeral property south of Cairns.

The five-month-old American staffordshire terrier was emaciated, curled in a ball and had a severe case of mange weeping sores all over his body when he was seized from his owner - pig hunting enthusiast and nursery owner Darren William Budd.

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The 54-year-old was handed a $3500 fine, plus almost $250 in vet and legal costs, and banned from owning other pets for 18 months while being sentenced in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday for three counts of breaching his duty of care.

Two of the charges were related to Guinea - failing to have his injuries treated and supply appropriate food - while he also failed to appropriately feed another dog Jingo and give water to a third dog.

Acting Magistrate Susie Warrington said Budd had a number of dogs on the property which were used for pig hunting.

The court heard the RSPCA inspector originally went to the property in May 2019, seized Guinea and told Budd to seek treatment for several of his other dogs.

The inspector returned with police in August and found the dog in the crate without water.

Acting Magistrate Warrington said Budd had an unrelated criminal history but no prior convictions for animal cruelty.

"Hopefully this has been a wake up call for you," she said.

She told him he was able to keep four dogs which were already in his care, but was banned from owning other pets until August 2023.

Originally published as Man cops huge fine for torrid treatment of pet dogs