Hooch, left, and Stealth, right, seen here on March 10, were seized by humane society agents from their owner. He pleaded guilty to two charges of animal abuse on Friday. (Angie Chauvin) A Windsor man pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of animal abuse in a case that drew provincewide attention for its use of new, tougher animal-protection legislation.

Orville Kevin Harris, 44, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the standards of care for two dogs he almost let starve to death.

He entered his plea in a courtroom of the Provincial Offences Service Unit in downtown Windsor.

Harris was given two years probation, a $1,000 fine and a lifetime ban on animal ownership.

Harris also faced four counts of causing distress and permitting distress, but those charges were withdrawn.

Harris was the first person in Ontario ever to be charged with causing or permitting distress, new provincial offences established when the province amended the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on March 2.

The new Provincial Animal Welfare Act allows judges to impose stiffer penalties, including jail time, fines of up to $60,000 and a potential lifetime ban on owning animals.

Agents with the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society seized the dogs, named Stealth and Hooch, on March 10 after getting an anonymous tip that the dogs were starving. The dogs were so thin "it reminded you of concentration camps," according to Melanie Coulter, the executive director of the humane society.

"I'm not minimizing concentration camps, but you could see every bone on their bodies," Coulter said. "Everyone who saw them was just shocked by how bad they looked."

A subsequent veterinary report found that the dogs "suffered from acute dehydration, malnutrition, starvation" and open sores.

"Our vet said they were the worst case she'd seen that was still alive," Coulter said.

The dogs' serious condition led to another first in Ontario: the humane society was able to hold Stealth and Hooch in custody while Harris's case was before the courts.

Nancy McCabe, the field operations manager for the humane society, said she's "happy with the decision the court made."

"I'm very happy with the lifetime ban. I think that was my No. 1 concern," she said.

Harris's legal representative, Jeff LaPorte, would not comment on the case.

The dogs have recovered since their rescue. They were adopted by separate families on July 13.