A man in southern Australia was found guilty of animal cruelty for tying the snout of his 11-month-old German Shepherd shut with a cable tie. This left the dog unable to breathe properly, but the neighbors discovered the situation four hours later and reported it.

The man’s lawyer defended his client by saying he forgot to take it off that morning before leaving for the day. Chloe suffered for four long hours before finally being freed.

“Panting is the main way in which dogs cool their bodies, because unlike us they do not have an effective system of sweat glands.” said RSPCA South Australia’s Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Brad Ward. “If you prevent a dog from cooling its body in this way, you put it at extreme risk of overheating, particularly in warm weather.”

After the cable tie was removed, Chloe drank some water and proceeded to jump into a small plastic pool to cool off. The man was ordered to pay $1,600 in vet bills and legal costs and forced to hand Chloe over to a new owner. He is banned from owning any animals for two years.