Outside the court, dozens of activists brandished posters of dogs rescued from the illegal puppy factory and shouted "shame on you" as police escorted Mr Sammut to a car driven by his adult daughter. Mr Sammut held his head low but appeared to smile as he walked through the angry crowd. The Age last year revealed that Mr Sammut ran the puppy factory from a cement and corrugated iron compound at the back of his property, with dozens of dogs kept in squalid conditions. Disturbing photographs show cages covered in excrement, rotting breeding boxes and bowls overflowing with mouldy food and green drinking water.

The puppy farm, which has been operating for about 15 years, was reported to Wyndham Council in August 2013 but authorities initially failed to act and Mr Sammut continued to sell puppies online for up to $800 each. The council inspected the farm in mid-2104 after receiving a tip-off from animal rights group Oscar's Law, which reported up to 50 sick and distressed dogs being rotated through the compound and kept in "horrific" conditions. Following the inspection Mr Sammut surrendered six dogs to the council, including a pregnant German shepherd who later died. Vet reports show four other animals were diseased and injured, suffering from ailments including cancer, hip dysplasia, splayed feet and severe ear damage.

Police and the council raided the Little River property on October 14 after receiving another tip-off and 11 dogs, including puppies and pregnant bitches, were removed from the property. Mr Sammut was charged with a string of offences but last month agreed to plead guilty to the single charge of running an unregistered puppy farm. In exchange, Wyndham Council dropped 13 other charges against him, including failing to provide veterinary attention, failing to provide food and water and failing to register animals. On Monday, the court was told that Mr Sammut had agreed to a five year ban on breeding dogs and had "substantially demolished" the compound to the extent that an animal business could no longer be run from the site. Mr Sammut, a former truck driver who now lives on benefits, had previously been fined $1000 more than a decade ago for running a "similar operation" in which 44 dogs were found at his property.

Magistrate Timothy Bourke said puppy farms took advantage of families and caused damage through inter-breeding. "You've been on notice since 2004, the fact that you should not have continued conducting a domestic animal business whilst unregistered," he said. "This is the sort of offence in which we must send a message of general deterrent. It is not to be tolerated and it is not to be condoned in any way, shape or form." More than 50 animal activists from Oscar's Law protested outside the suburban courthouse and then marched to Wyndham Council's offices to protest against the decision to drop the cruelty charges. The council refused to send a representative down to speak to the protesters. "We want to send a clear message that the council may have forgotten and dismissed the cruelty charges but we haven't," founder Debra Tranter said.

"Wyndham Council have shown complete disregard for their ratepayers, who paid for surgery for some of these dogs. It's incompetent and it's out of touch with community expectations." Ms Tranter, who has alleged that Mr Sammut moved dogs between his property and other sites to avoid being investigated, slammed the fine handed down by the court. "There is still dogs missing, we know they still have dogs," she said. "A $5000 fine is ridiculous. All they have to do is sell two litters of puppies and that's the fine paid for. It's sending the wrong message – that cruelty can be dismissed."

Wyndham Council's chief executive Kerry Thompson said she was disappointed that the fine was not higher. "This low financial penalty is indicative of the soft approach that the courts seem to take in matters involving the inappropriate treatment of animals, which is the main reason why council elected to drop some charges to ensure a guilty plea against the most serious charge." "We were simply not willing to risk Mr Sammut walking away without a finding of guilt or just a small fine – we had to make sure he was banned from operating a puppy farm and we are pleased that a conviction was also recorded."