Animal rights activists celebrated after bail was denied for Michael Hill, the man accused of binding a dog's snout, legs and neck with electrical tape and leaving it outside.

The 41-year-old Amherstburg man has been in jail since his arrest in December with several attempts at bail hearings postponed. His lawyer Ahmad Ammar was surprised by the decision from the justice of the peace.

"That's not what I expected," Amar said. "I hoped that Mr. Hill would be released today and for him to have his day in court."

There is a publication ban on evidence heard during the bail hearing.

About 20 protestors who were in the courtroom Monday applauded the decision. They are just a small part of the public support for the abused dog, which was named Justice by the Windsor Essex County Humane Society.

Justice was found by a Windsor, Ont., man, who was walking his two dogs Dec. 17 beside the Canadian Tire on Walker Road. The dog was lying in the grass with its snout, paws, and neck tightly bound with electrical tape.

Justice was unable to move, was having difficulty breathing and its mouth and paws were extremely swollen, according to an assessment from the humane society.

He has undergone several surgeries and continues to recover.

Ammar said his client has been extremely patient considering he's been in jail for about a month before a decision on bail was made.

Part of the delay included an unusual move when a Windsor justice of the peace excused himself from the case Dec. 22 because he said he's a long-time dog lover.

Justice of the peace Mike Hurst recused himself at the outset of a scheduled bail hearing set for that day.