A man who picked up a dog from Ta’ Qali and later abandoned it close to the Island Sanctuary in Delimara was this morning fined €400 after being found guilty of abandoning the animal.

Mario Agius, 38, of Qormi, had found the German Shepherd puppy at Ta’ Qali in April 2009.

He put the dog in his car, bought a bowl and food and fed it and drove with it to Delimara to give the puppy to the sanctuary.

However, volunteers at the sanctuary told him they were full up and suggested he should take the dog back home with him and take it to the SPCA on the following day.

Mr Agius left and abandoned the animal a few metres away from the sanctuary, leaving it food and water to drink.

The court said that the fine Mr Agius was getting was close to the minimum because although it found him guilty of abandoning the dog, it did not find him guilty of ill-treating it.

He had also abandoned the dog close to the sanctuary in hope that they would take it in.

The court noted that once Mr Agius picked up the dog and took custody of it, he became responsible for it.