A Devonshire man was yesterday fined $8,000 after admitting to keeping four dogs illegally.

Troy Winslow Smith, 44, of Roberts Avenue, pleaded guilty to having four pit bulls when he did not have a valid licence for any of the dogs.

The court heard from Crown counsel Maria Sofianos, that between September 1 and January 22, the defendant kept the dogs on a Government-owned property behind Victor Scott Primary School.

The dogs, a male called 'Dirty Brown', a brown and white female called 'Tamillieum', a black and white female called 'Sulu' and a male buckskin called 'Nas', were confiscated when animal wardens and Police officers attended the property with search warrants.

Smith claimed in court he has had the dogs for the past 13 years and didn't license them because he was working at the time. He said he had licensed them in May, 2007.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner gave the defendant a $2,000 fine per dog to be paid by March 13.

Smith, visibly upset by the fine said: "I may as well go home and kill the dogs if I have to pay that fine."