Saron Youn, 27, pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court yesterday to neglecting Soldier, a Bull Arab cross and Nismo, a Kelpie cross, in October of last year.

According to a statement of facts, RSPCA ACT inspectors went to the man's previous house, in Kambah, after receiving a call from a neighbour concerned about the dogs' welfare.

No one was home but they found both dogs in the back yard, one of which was tethered in a cage without food or water.

An RSPCA vet examined the severely underweight pets and found they had grit in their stomachs, indicating they had eaten sand in an effort to sustain themselves.

Yesterday, Youn told the court he was having relationship problems at the time of the offence and had arranged for a friend to care for the animals while he was in Sydney.

Magistrate Karen Fryar said photographs of the animals were disgusting.

''They're like skeletons with dog fur over them,'' she said.

''After hearing the circumstances in which the dogs were kept and seeing the photos of their emaciated bodies, I think this is a more serious example of neglect.''

Ms Fryar placed Youn on a good behaviour order and instructed him to do 160 hours of community service, preferably in an animal shelter.