Georgia - A man (57) in the US state of Georgia has been sentenced to 475 years in prison for taking part in cruel dog fights.

The trial was initiated by a letter carrier who had noticed several dogs being kept in unworthy conditions on the convicted man's property, according to the public prosecutor's office.

When investigators got to the bottom of the matter, they found 107 closely chained four-legged friends in the 57-year-old's backyard. The animals had no access to food or water and many of them were emaciated.

On closer inspection, there was growing evidence that the pets had been abused in brutal dog fights. A number of utensils used in dog fights were found on the property. These included a breeding stand and a "crowbar" for forcibly opening the dogs' jaws during the fight.

A vet subsequently found a number of scars on the dogs' bodies. Several teeth were also forcibly removed.

While the dogs were handed over to animal rights activists, the animal abuser went to court .

At the end of January, the judge found the defendant guilty of 103 counts of dog fighting or cruelty to animals.

The prison sentence was enormous: 475 years!

"By prosecuting dog fighters, we are bringing this underground world to light, ensuring that these dogs receive the justice they deserve, and working to one day eradicate this crime completely," the prosecutor's office announced.

One of the dogs involved, an American Staffordshire Terrier named "Baby Shark", was even present during the court proceedings.

Pictures with a prosecutor show a happy "Baby Shark" in the courtroom. It is hard to imagine that this four-legged friend was once incited to maul other dogs.