A Manawatu man who paid a woman to take part in an erotic act with his dog has gone to court to try to get the animal back.

He has also applied to be allowed to use the internet at home, something he cannot do under the 12-month intensive supervision sentence.

It was imposed in June for one charge of indecency with an animal and 16 charges of possessing objectionable material.

The man, who has permanent name suppression, appeared in Feilding District Court yesterday to vary terms of his supervision.

The man said his university studies required him to access research material through the internet, a lot of which was not available on the digital learning service he was allowed to use from his home computer.

He could use the internet at university, but it was hard to do that as he was working through 150 hours' community work and was curfewed to his house at night while he served six months' community detention.

Probation opposed both of the man's requests and said while he could access pornography at the university, its service was monitored.

Any internet access at home could allow the man to access pornographic sites that could be erased using freely available online software.

Judge Gregory Ross adjourned the applications until later this month, saying he needed more information and would need confirmation from academic staff that internet access was necessary.

"So far as the dog is concerned... I accept that there is a cost to you and that there are other issues in terms of family and younger members of the family [being] deprived of a pet."

The man's convictions stem from him paying a woman to go to his house in July 2009 and have his dog perform a sex act on her.

Over the phone he told the woman what he had in mind and when she arrived he showed her images of what he wanted her to do.

The woman took part in an indecent act and left.

She later complained to police who found illegal sexual images and DVDs at the man's house.

- © Fairfax NZ News