A Narrabundah woman punched and whipped two RSPCA inspectors with a dog chain after she was told her pet needed to be put down.
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A Canberra magistrate found Sara Lina Koerner, 48, became so distraught at the news she lashed out and assaulted the inspectors.
One of the victims said she felt pain from the blows to her upper right arm.
But Ms Koerner, 48, denied she struck the inspectors, claimed she had been assaulted by the pair, and alleged the prosecution had been malicious.
Koerner pleaded not guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court to two counts of assault and went on trial on Tuesday.
The court heard the RSPCA inspectors went to Koerner's Narrabundah home in June last year to check on the welfare of a dog named Cinnamon.
Catherine Croatto, from the witness box, said the 14-year-old German shorthaired pointer had been extremely thin and staggering, and struggled to stand.
"[The dog] was in obvious need to care and treatment by a veterinarian," Ms Croatto said.
"The dog was in a deplorable condition."
The dog was taken to the RSPCA's Weston headquarters where a vet said the animal had a chronic illness and should be put down.
But Koerner refused to accept the diagnosis, saying Cinnamon would get better with care, and demanded a second opinion. Cinnamon was taken to the defendant's regular inner south vet.
Two vets then reached the same conclusion.
Koerner became upset and agitated and, as she was escorted from the premises, punched Ms Croatto twice in the arm before hitting her with a dog chain.
"[It was] a couple of good punches ... a bit of pain, yes," the inspector said.
"Yeah, that stung."
Pictures tendered in court showed bruising on Ms Croatto's arm.
Inspector Kim Taylor said Koerner had struck her twice after trying to snatch the dog from her.
The court also heard from a vet, Dr Amanda Nott, who confirmed the dog had been about 10 kilograms underweight and suffering from an unknown chronic illness.
She said an examination revealed it had been suffering, which needed to end.
The court heard Koerner then became obstructive, angry and distressed, and needed to be ushered out as her behaviour had disrupted the clinic.
Dr Nott said she saw Koerner strike Ms Croatto in a "flailing" attack as she was escorted from the building.
In finding Koerner guilty, Special Magistrate Margaret Hunter said the offender's failure to accept her dog's plight turned to anger and she had lashed out.
"She was desperate to get her dog back," Ms Hunter said.
But Ms Hunter said the inspectors had done their best to help and should not be subjected to assaults in the course of their work.
Koerner was ordered to sign a one-year good-behaviour order.
Koerner muttered "liars", "no", and "criminals" during the decision.
