An axe-wielding dog owner told SPCA employees “I will waste you if you touch my dogs”, a court has heard.

Wayne Henry Tumataroa, 47, appeared in the Invercargill District Court this week after the public reported concerns for his dogs’ welfare. They said the four dogs were housed together in a small kennel.

In March, two SPCA staff checked on the dogs at a house in Gore, but Tumataroa was not there. They called the defendant to organise a meeting with him and he immediately voiced his frustration.

Soon after, the defendant arrived and yelled derogatory names at the victims.

He then put his dogs into his car and picked up an axe from the property, waving it at the staff while he continued to shout at them.

Fearful of the defendant, the victims locked themselves in their car and called police, who arrested Tumataroa.

He admitted having the axe but did not believe he was “that intimidating”.

Judge Catriona Doyle assured Tumataroa his dogs would not be taken from him and recognised they were “like family” to the man, especially as they helped him with pig hunting.

Tumataroa was also sentenced on earlier instances of aggression, including several threats to stab a victim between September and October last year.

He claimed he would beat the same victim with a metal bar.

A police search of Tumataroa’s address revealed he was hiding a lever-action rifle and seven bullets.

He also made a throat-slitting gesture to a man in The Warehouse car park in Gore.

Tumataroa was convicted of three counts of threatening behaviour, possessing an offensive weapon, possessing a firearm, possessing ammunition and speaking threateningly.

He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and the judge ordered the axe and his knives be destroyed.