The SPCA is hoping a woman now disqualified from owning animals learns how to properly look after them as part of her sentence.

Waikato woman Lai Toy was sentenced to 300 hours community work and nine months supervision, including attendance of any programmes recommended by probation.

She's also banned from owning animals for five years, and ordered to pay $2,000 in reparation.

Two animals belonging to Toy had to be put down after a goat was found with a fractured elbow, and a cat found suffering from kidney disease, severe dental disease and two leg fractures.

SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen said they'd like to see more teaching programmes over imprisonment.

"Nothing's changing the thoughts patterns and behaviours of people, so if we can get programmes operating more often in sentences that would be a good outcome," she said.

Last week the SPCA released its annual list of the worst crimes committed against animals across New Zealand.