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Two men who allegedly shot 33 dogs on a rural property near Wellsford north of Auckland, face a jail term of up to three years if the charges against them are proven.
The SPCA says charges against the two are likely to be laid as early as Friday.
SPCA chief executive Bob Kerridge says they are satisfied seven of the dogs died a slow and painful death when they were shot following a row between the dogs' owner Rowan Hargreaves and his neighbour Russell Mendoza.
Mendoza and another man, truck driver Tony "Tussock" Campbell, allegedly shot the dogs with a shotgun and a .22 calibre rifle after Mendoza claimed the dogs killed his pet dog.
Kerridge says animal inspectors who had studied the bodies of the dogs are in no doubt that at least seven died a lingering and painful death.
"Seven did not die quickly and quite clearly suffered."
He says some were hit with shotgun pellets before they were shot again with a .22 calibre rifle.
Kerridge says that the men could be jailed for up to three years depending on which charges were laid under the Animal Welfare Act.
