CONVICTED (2023) | kitten breeder Lorraine Jane George, born 19 May 1959. of Freshwater Road, Christchurch BH23 4PD – kept dozens of ailing Persian cats in squalid conditions.
RSPCA officers attended Lorraine George’s home on March 8, 2023, where they found the cats were living in the bathroom, bedrooms, ensuite and two pens in a conservatory of the property. All areas were littered with faeces and dirt.
The court was told that George kept and bred Persian cats and had given them a free run of her home.
But when the RSPCA visited her property along with officers from Dorset Police, many of the cats were in poor health, suffering from a number of ailments, including eye infections, respiratory illness, flea infestations, severely matted fur, while many were emaciated, two had ingrown claws and others dental issues.
One cat later had to be put to sleep to end her suffering.
George pleaded not guilty to 13 Animal Welfare Act offences, but was convicted after a trial.
RSPCA inspector Patrick Bailey said in a statement presented to the court that nearly all the ground floor of George’s property was inaccessible because of the amount of clutter.
“We were confronted by a wall of boxes and parcels, creating a thin walkway through the hallway to the kitchen, and I could hear cats calling throughout the house,” said the inspector.
“There was also a very strong, unpleasant smell of ammonia and it was impossible to enter the living room and dining room as they were stacked floor to ceiling with boxes of belongings.
The court heard that police found the defendant asleep on the floor of a bedroom, while her bathroom and an ensuite were occupied by cats.
The inspector added: “There were no clean facilities to use and it appeared to me the property barely functioned as a home anymore, instead it resembled a storage facility.”
RSPCA officers removed the cats from six living spaces so they could be assessed by vets in a mobile treatment vehicle.
A vet, who examined the cats, stated: “None of the pens provided a suitable environment for the needs of the cats as they were housing too many cats for the area provided. That along with poor ventilation and hygiene, contributed to the high prevalence of multiple infectious diseases.
“The provision of food and water was inadequate and food bowls were dirty and empty, litter tray provision was inadequate; and there was a lack of enrichment for all the cats.”
One of the bedrooms some of the cats were living in was too hot, with poor ventilation, and the vet noted: “There was faecal staining all over the furniture, windowsill, bookshelves, bedside cabinets and faeces in the bed itself. The smell in this room was horrific.”
Among George’s cluttered possessions were a large number of sacks of cat and dog food and cat litter, but most of it had been left unopened.
The court was told the RSPCA had offered to rehome George’s cats in 2015 and provided her with advice on previous visits to the property.
George claimed some of the cats were thin because they had feline flu. The court was told that she also spent seven days in hospital in 2022 and a friend helped her look after the cats for a short period. In mitigation, the court was told about the defendant’s infirmity.
In all, the RSPCA removed 29 Persian cats from the property and they were treated for their ailments, although one was so unwell she had to be put to sleep. The cats remain in the care of the charity and will be rehomed.
Sentencing her, the judge, HHJ Fuller, KC, said: “You had an excessive number of cats, which you were incapable of caring for. You obstinately refused to accept advice from others relating to the cats’ care. All these conditions would have been obvious to a careful and competent cat owner.
“This is not a case of incompetent care, this was prolonged disregard. This is a case of obstinacy and obsession and you showed deliberate disregard for animal welfare.”
Speaking after the sentencing, inspector Bailey said: “This case is an example of how the RSPCA will make every effort to try to educate an owner on the correct way to look after their animals before taking legal action.
George also owns three dogs but as they all appeared in good condition she was only banned from keeping cats.
“Inspectors repeatedly tried to encourage the defendant to reduce her number of cats, improve animal husbandry and crucially seek veterinary assistance in a timely manner, including euthanasia when required.
“But sadly, she didn’t make decisions based on what was in the best interests of each individual cat.”
Sentencing | 26 weeks in prison suspended for two years.; ordered to pay costs of £53,275.78. 10-year ban on owning cats.
CONVICTED (2023) | Kerri Dunstan, born c. 1988, of 27 Anderson Street, West Marsh, Grimsby DN31 2LY – failed to treat her kittens’ severe flea infestation, leading to them dying.
Mother-of-three Dunstan pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the kittens by failing to provide adequate or any parasitic control.
This failure led to the kittens becoming anaemic and subsequently dying.
One of the flea-ridden kittens found in the Grimsby home of Kerri Dunstan
Dunstan also pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of the animals were met, namely by failing to provide any or adequate parasitic control, to investigate and address the cause of the kittens’ poor bodily condition and to failing to take any steps to resolve any severe flea infestation affecting the animals.
Another two kittens from the same litter had died three days before the RSPCA visited the home, while a fifth had been taken to the Blue Cross in Grimsby in a “barely responsive” state and also passed away.
Magistrates heard how an RSPCA animal rescue worker, Hannah Williams, had visited Dunstan’s home in August 2022. She found two kittens in a lethargic state and crawling with fleas. They were taken for immediate veterinary treatment, but died the following day.
In her evidence to the court, the vet who examined the two kittens rescued by the RSPCA said: “Both of them were suffering from severe anaemia with heavy flea infestation and hypothermia. They were placed in an incubator to try and raise their body temperatures and were sprayed with Fipronil and combed for fleas. They were syringe fed milk regularly and their temperature was also monitored.
“By night-time, both kittens showed some improvement in demeanour and their temperatures had risen, but still below the normal acceptable range. Monitoring continued overnight and they were both given subcutaneous fluids.”
Sadly, the kittens continued to deteriorate and could not be saved. Their mother, a three-legged black and white cat called Luna, was also removed from Dunstan’s house and taken for urgent treatment.
The kittens’ mother, Luna, was also in a poor condition but recovered in the RSPCA’s care and was rehomed
On examination, Luna was found to be underweight and also suffering from a heavy flea infestation, with scabs around her ears and neck which had been caused by constant scratching. Like the two kittens, she was seized by police under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Dunstan was on holiday at the time the kittens were seized, but said during interview that she had “used flea bombs and sprays” inside the house. She apologised for what had happened and said that she had not realised the level of care the animals required, the court heard.
Magistrates said they could not understand why she had allowed the kittens to get into such a poor state. Luna has since been rehomed by the RSPCA, and a deprivation order was also ordered by the court to protect another cat living at the property.
Sentencing | 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 month; costs of £500 and victim services surcharge of £154. One adult cat was surrendered to the RSPCA. Disqualified from keeping animals for ten years (expires June 2033).
CONVICTED (2023) | puppy and kitten farmer Daanyaal Chowdhury, born 29 April 1993, a serial animal abuser of 24 Meldon Road, Longsight, Manchester M13 0TT but with links to east London and Chadwell St Mary, Grays, Essex – kept dozens of starving animals in inhumane conditions.
Daanyaal Chowdhury admitted causing unnecessary suffering to dozens of cats and dogs at his Perthshire farm.
In a shocking case involving the “widespread and indiscriminate neglect” of dozens of cats and dogs on a breeding facility in rural Perthshire, Daanyaal Chowdhury was convicted of multiple animal cruelty offences but only received a community sentence.
Footage showing grim and inhumane conditions on Daanyaal Chowdhury’s “chaotic and hazardous” puppy farm
Chowdhury’s company K9 Cube Limited provided animals to work in security and as sniffer dogs and had used South Cairnies Farm Cottage, Glenalmond, Perth PH1 3RY as a hub for a large-scale breeding operation.
German shepherd Sophie – also known as Stacy – had chronic skin disease, wounds between her toes, hair loss and overgrown nails
Some 32 dogs, including multiple German Shepherds, were found living in their own waste in homemade kennels, starving and with no water, along with 17 kittens and 16 cats
The alarm was raised after Chowdhury sent a diseased German Shepherd pup named Sophie to the vets.
Animal welfare officers found more than 60 cats and dogs living in extreme squalor at South Cairnies Farm Cottage, which is around 12 miles from Perth city centre
The Scottish SPCA were called in and a warrant was obtained to search the premises on October 28, 2020.
Inspectors found South Cairnies Farm Cottage to be ‘chaotic and hazardous’ with homemade kennels and various broken items scattered about.
Inspectors descended on the dilapidated site after local vets raised the alarm
An initial search found groups of puppies and kittens within three rooms of the cottage. No food or water was evident, the rooms were wet and dirty, as were the puppies and there was an extremely strong smell of faeces and urine.
Some of the dogs were living in outdoor kennels without natural light or flooring, while others had been completely exposed to the wind and rain
The homemade kennels at the rear of the property housed a number of large breed dogs. The kennels, where they had shelter, were not watertight. They all were filthy and strewn with urine and faeces; most had no water or bedding.
homemade kennels housed a number of large breed dogs
Some of the dogs were living in outdoor kennels without natural light or flooring, while others had been completely exposed to the wind and rain.
The cats were kept in a separate building. Again, the living areas were dirty and covered in faeces and there was no water. The plyboard walls and roof of the structure were wet and mouldy.
The accommodation for the cats was equally poor. No water had been provided and the plyboard walls and roof were wet and mouldy
A veterinary witness examined 32 dogs, 17 kittens and 16 cats at the property. They found multiple dermatological, respiratory, ophthalmic, and ear related diseases.
A Bengal cat called Bella, who had eye conditions, respiratory problems and neurological disease including severe ataxia had to be euthanised on welfare grounds.
A court hearing in October 2021 in relation to a Scottish SPCA civil case against Chowdhury’s firm K9 Cube heard that one dog required to be put to sleep, six suffered hip dysplasia, seven puppies had dermatitis, four had inflamed ears, six had dental disease or fractures, and the cats were suffering from conjunctivitis and ear mite infestation.
Young puppies were living in extreme squalor, with no food or water.
Of 49 puppies born from the dogs seized, eight passed away shortly after birth, one was put to sleep with a neurological condition and seven were born with congenital deformity and either passed away or were put to sleep as a result of their condition.
In court on May 25, 2023, Chowdhury admitted three animal welfare offences. These were that as the person responsible for animals, by act or omission he caused them unnecessary suffering by failing to provide adequate care or treatment and failing to get veterinary advice or treatment for health conditions.
Between April 20 and October 28 2020, he failed to treat:
A black and tan German Shepherd called Sophie, found with a chronic skin disease and wounds between her toes;
Dolly, a female Spanish Mastiff-type dog which had dermatitis, eczema, an infected wound, hair loss and a matted coat;
Dogs Sky, Lexi and Kilo which suffered orthopaedic conditions including degrees of dysplasia;
Dogs Kilo, Nancy, Coco, Roxy and Diago, all suffering from dental diseases such as fractured teeth.
Neglected cats kept in homemade cages
He further pleaded guilty to causing suffering to 15 cats – including one which later died – which had ear mite infestations and conjunctivitis.
Chowdhury also admitted he failed to provide suitable accommodation for all 33 dogs, 17 puppies and 16 cats.
The homemade kennels had no natural or artificial light, and most had no bedding or shelter from the elements
The court heard the animals were exposed to waste, loose and exposed electrical cables and garden debris hazards.
They did not have adequate resting areas, dry bedding or proper shelter from the elements.
He further failed to provide some of the animals with adequate ventilation, light, hydration and nutrition.
The vast majority of animals seized were female, and many were pregnant
Chowdhury originally denied all charges, blaming a man who was employed to manage the site on his behalf.
He changed his plea to guilty on the morning of his trial, after accepting ultimate responsibility for the animals’ welfare.
He was ordered to complete 90 hours of unpaid work and will be subject to a one-year supervision order. He was banned from keeping animals for just five years.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland said he had decided against imposing a custodial sentence, after hearing that Chowdhury had lost his livelihood with K9 Cube now bankrupt and owing creditors some £360,000.
Source: The Courier
Following the hearing, bitter Chowdhury complained to court reporters that he had been treated “like a drug dealer” by police.
He said: “I wasn’t based at the farm. Because of Covid, I couldn’t travel and our business went to zero. All of our dogs were kennelled.
“I spent hundreds of thousands of pounds there, but we had six members of staff who weren’t doing their jobs correctly.
“Unfortunately, the charges were only brought against me, on the day I wasn’t there.
“I feel that has been a miscarriage of justice because why were the people there not charged?”
Chowdhury said the business had operated out of the site for three years previously, with no issues.
The Scottish SPCA slammed the sentence, however, with inspector Katherine Aitchison saying: “We are extremely disappointed at this lenient sentencing, considering the appalling conditions these animals were kept in.
Following the October 2020 raid on Chowdhury’s farm the Scottish SPCA launched an urgent appeal for donations to provide care and rehabilitation services for the rescued animals
“The dogs and cats in his care clearly suffered and a harsher sentence should have been given.”
She added: “Chowdhury has undoubtedly shown that he was not able to provide his animals with the care they needed, and we would have hoped this to be reflected in a ban on owning or keeping animals.”
Dogs were crammed into filthy makeshift kennels
Helen Nisbet, Procurator Fiscal for Tayside, Central and Fife, said: “This was a case of widespread and indiscriminate neglect where cats, dogs and puppies were caused unnecessary suffering.
“This suffering was entirely preventable and could have been avoided by proper management and timely veterinary involvement.
“Instead, Daanyaal Chowdhury failed to provide the animals he was responsible for with an adequate environment and kept them in terrible, inhumane conditions. He failed to provide proper care and treatment and protect them from disease.
“I would like to thank the Scottish SPCA and Police Scotland for their part in investigating and gathering evidence of these offences.
“The Procurator Fiscal will continue to hold to account those who would commit such crimes and we would urge anyone with information of animal neglect to contact the police or the Scottish SPCA.”
Most of the animals were rehomed by the SSPCA following its successful civil case against Chowdhury’s company in October 2021. The charity was granted permission to move on “or otherwise dispose of” the surviving animals after the court heard that its bills for the seizure and temporary accommodation for the animals was rapidly approaching £100,000.
K9 Cube Ltd – which claimed to have been adversely affected by the Covid lockdown – sought to have the animals returned as they were “integral assets” to the company.
K9 Cube Ltd was also find liable for the expenses of the court proceedings.
Sentencing | 12-month supervision order; 90 hours of unpaid work. Five-year ban on owning, keeping or dealing in animals (expires May 2028).
“It was all just horrific” | former workers describe the atrocities they witnessed at Daanyaal Chowdhury’s breeding hub
In various interviews with the media, former employees of Daanyaal Chowdhury laid bare the shocking conditions dozens of dogs and cats were subjected to on his farm.
Speaking to local newspaper The Courier (see also here), Tiegan Walker said she cried and quit on her first day after seeing the “horrific” conditions animals were living in.
Source: The Courier
Tiegan responded to an advert posted on Gumtree for an “in house dog and cat carer and cleaner” offering £1,000 a month to live on the site.
The advert stated the owners bred German Shepherds.
The qualified animal care worker was left in tears after witnessing the “horrible” conditions the animals were being kept in and reported the owner to the authorities.
Tiegan said she had seen blind kittens walking in circles, a German Shepherd and her puppies forced to live in a cramped cupboard and a host of overbred females.
Chowdhury told Tiegan that at the height of business, before lockdown, he had around 125 animals living on the property.
She said: “I wasn’t allowed out the back because the dogs were too aggressive, but from what I could see there was around 10 but there must have been more because they were so noisy.
“Inside they must have had three litters of puppies plus their mums and then they had litters of kittens – about 20 of them.
“They were Bengal cats and they were kept in horrific conditions.”
She said the younger kittens were inside but the older cats were forced outside into kennels despite horrible weather conditions.
Tiegan added: “There were Akita puppies and I don’t even know where the mum was.
“They told me the Akita had killed her own puppies so they had taken them away and given them to the German Shepherd.
“It was all just horrific. They had the big German Shepherd, it was such a lovely dog, in a cupboard with the puppies.
“There was nowhere for her to move and there was no water for her.
“She was such a happy dog and for them to (do) that was just cruel.”
Tiegan said she also witnessed puppies living in the bathroom of the house and believes dogs were being allowed to mix-breed purely to create more puppies.
She said: “It’s just disgusting. I just don’t know how someone can do that.
“He told me that before I arrived there had been a litter of puppies who had all died from a disease.
“I just couldn’t believe it. I cried. It’s so sad.”
A second person, who wished to remain anonymous, spent less than half a day working at the property before fleeing in horror and alerting the authorities.
They said: “(I) was shown into a dirty house and asked to clean out a room with approximately eight German Shepherd puppies in it.
“It was covered in faeces and urine, and the puppies were wet and cold and (had) no food or water – until I took them some.
“No adult dogs were with them. There were three rooms like this then an outdoor kennels.
“These kennels were again dirty with no beds, food, water or any heating, there were two dogs to each kennel and were numbered rather than named.
“There were also a large number of dogs in a field that appeared older. These all weren’t German Shepherds.
“Some of the puppies did not seem in great health, some were missing eyes and limbs.”
He stayed at the cottage in Glenalmond for many months and claims he was not paid. With no money and living in a rural location he was unfamiliar with, the worker said he felt stuck in the situation.
He also claimed to have buried many puppies that did not survive.
“A lot of puppies died,” he said.
“I buried a lot of puppies myself, dogs too.
“Because when you are alone, and I am not a vet, sometimes you don’t notice but some of them got sick and they died.
“A lot of puppies died because it was cold. I didn’t really know how to take care of puppies.”
He also believes the female dogs suffered from overbreeding which caused problems with their litters.
A local from the area said he reported the property to the Scottish SPCA around 18 months earlier.
“You can hear the dogs non-stop,” he said.
“At that time they were being kept in polytunnels, in cages, in intense heat.
“All the dogs were kept out the back but if someone came to look at a dog they would take them to the front.
“They had far too many dogs. If anyone went near the place they would all just set off.
“This has been going on for 18 months. I was one of the first people to contact the SSPCA and at that time there were about 30 dogs.”
The local added that during lockdown the property was being visited frequently by people buying puppies.
Scottish SPCA and Perth and Kinross Council under fire after 18 months of complaints about Chowdhury’s puppy farm
In late December 2020, The Courier published an in-depth article on the case and highlighted the apparent failings of the authorities to take action against Daanyaal Chowdhury at a much earlier stage.
Investigative journalists Sean O’Neil and Blair Dingwall reported they had seen letters from Karen Reid, chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council and Scottish SPCA boss Kirsteen Campbell where they admit that their respective officers had visited Chowdhury’s establishment in June 2019.
The documents stated both council officers and Scottish SPCA officers were happy with the way the dogs were being kept but noted some animals were currently housed in “temporary shelters”.
Ms Reid claimed in her letter, dated October 8, 2019, that “there is no evidence to suggest that a dog breeding licence is currently required”.
However in the same letter the chief executive stated: “(The animal welfare officer) considers the levels of noise from the establishment as typical from a dog breeding environment.”
It confirmed the local authority had received two complaints from different people regarding the property and an investigation was being carried out.
It said neglect allegations were “unsubstantiated” – but that officers would continue to visit the property over complaints alleging “animal cruelty, neglect and activities associated with puppy farming”.
Scottish SPCA chief executive Kirsteen Campbell stated in her letter, dated September 23 2019, that officers had viewed “several dogs” during a June 2019 visit which were being kept in “an adequate temporary shelter” while a permanent shelter was being built.
During a follow-up visit in July 2019, officers were “comfortable improvements had been made and were reassured the owner was keen to continue to make these”.
Ms Campbell wrote: “We can only act on the evidence we see and gather whilst investigating at the time.
“On every occasion we’ve visited, the owner has been fully cooperative and all advice regarding welfare and living conditions has been followed.”
The animal welfare charity refused to say if owners were given advance warning of visits by animal welfare officers.
Numerous locals hit out at the authorities’ responses and questioned why the raid took so long to take place.
Speaking in late December 2020 one resident said: “The whole thing has been going on for 18 months and we have been trying to get answers for 18 months.
“It’s a complete whitewash. The whole thing was brushed under the carpet.
“Why did all these dogs and puppies have to suffer for 18 months because of inaction by the SSPCA and animal welfare? Why? It is appalling.”
Another told The Courier: “I have never been so disgusted with the lack of acknowledgement and intervention from the very authorities which are there to help animals and law abiding citizens live in a safe, clean and peaceful environment.”
One local asked: “Why did all these dogs and puppies have to suffer for 18 months?” due to apparent inaction by the authorities
The individual claimed the Scottish SPCA and council were alerted at least 16 months earlier when dogs were being kept in “cages, boxes, boots of cars, vans and in chains”.
Another person from the area said: “At that time they were being kept in polytunnels, in cages, in intense heat.
“All the dogs were kept out the back but if someone came to look at a dog they would take them to the front.
“They had far too many dogs. If anyone went near the place they would all just set off.
“This has been going on for 18 months. I was one of the first people to contact the SSPCA and at that time there were about 30 dogs.”
Another local said he was not surprised by the lack of action in a case that had frustrated and horrified nearby residents for the past 18 months.
He said: “It doesn’t surprise me whatsoever.
“I wasn’t there when the raid happened but they had plenty of time to arrest him, people reported when he was in the cottage. Surely someone should have been arrested.
“In the early days there was 15 or so people staying there. I couldn’t say if the cottage was ever empty but there was always cars going up and down.”
The resident told the Courier he couldn’t understand the lack of information available to locals from the Scottish SPCA.
He said: “We still can’t get our head around that no-one will give us any answers.
“How many puppies were sold down there? It must have been hundreds. It’s very hard to describe when puppies are yelping and you know they’re being hit. It’s so upsetting to hear.”
Perth and Kinross Council defended the length of time taken to investigate, while the Scottish SPCA insisted it would not comment on what was an ongoing case at the time.
A council spokesman said: “Perth and Kinross Council takes animal cruelty or neglect extremely seriously and we thoroughly investigate all allegations regarding the mistreatment of animals we receive.
“Our animal welfare officers were involved in a joint investigation with the SSPCA and Police Scotland into allegations of commercial breeding in rural Perthshire that resulted in last month’s raid.”
A long history of animal abuse? Previous allegations against Daanyaal Chowdhury
Before moving to his current address in Longsight, Manchester, Daanyaal Chowdhury lived at 49 Lea Road, Chadwell St Mary, Grays RM16 4DD with relative Abdullah Mahmood-Al Hassan Chowdhury. On April 21, 2019 a local animal lover took to Facebook to raise concerns about the welfare of two German shepherd-type dogs kept at the property. The woman alleged that the dogs were not only starved, but also beaten.
Her post included a photograph she had taken of Daanyaal Chowdhury and an image of his logo for K9 Cube.
Another Facebook user then uploaded a video which they’d taken from Chowdhury’s Instagram profile under username life_explore007 (now defunct) which showed him laughing as he poured champagne over a litter of young puppies in a bathtub.
Chowdhury also shared this image to his Instagram account showing some of his security dogs on a site, with their living conditions looking far from ideal:
The original post was shared across multiple animal groups, causing outrage.
One man decided to take matters into his own hands and pay Chowdhury’s premises a visit. He was horrified by what he found:
Feeling the pressure after the original post went viral, Chowdhury, described by one Facebook user as a wannabe gangster who had allegedly bragged about facing an attempted murder charge, removed all traces of his personal and company profiles from social media.
Pressure group campaign poster
The authorities also took action, but not on animal welfare grounds. Instead in July 2019 it was reported that the co-occupant of 49 Lea Road, Abdullah Al-Hassan Chowdhury, i.e. Daanyaal Chowdhury’s relative, had been fined around £12,000 by Thurrock Council for failing to comply with a noise abatement notice. The court heard that he had been keeping up to 20 dogs including Dobermans, Alsatians, Rottweilers and large crossbreeds at his home. and that they were being raised to work in the owner’s “security business”.
One neighbour told the local newspaper: “[The dogs] were living in what I can only describe as purgatory.
“No proper kennels, no decent food, no exercise or play.
“Often leaving these dogs shut up in make-do ‘kennels’ for days on end. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
“We were told by people living nearer to this house how the dog mess was never cleared, and the yard was never washed down. The number grew until there were 21.
“Some would be taken to work at night and the others would be left outside, often in bad weather.
“I witnessed the dogs being kicked, kneed and hit with sticks.”
The final straw for many residents was when they witnessed two of the dogs fighting in early June 2021, with neighbours forced to spray a hose over the fence in an attempt to separate them.
Residents stated one animal was “left in a pool of blood”, and it is unclear what has happened to the dog now.
Although pleased a prosecution has been secured, the resident raised frustrations at what she felt was a lack of action by the RSPCA or police during the ordeal.
In September 2019 Abdullah Al-Hassan Chowdhury was also hit with a 10-year criminal behaviour order following further action by the local authority. The order means Chowdhury must not bring onto, or keep, any animals within any residential address, use any residential address for commercial or business purposes, or engage in any threatening or abusive behaviour.
Locals remained sceptical that the order would safeguard the welfare of a single dog and it was reported that the Chowdhurys had already taken the dogs elsewhere in any event.
A few months later, in October 2019, national newspaper the Daily Mail carried a report of eight starving dogs being kept in a garden at 132 St George’s Road, Dagenham, east London RM9 5JB, apparently without food, water or shelter.
A local animal welfare group called Scruffy’s Angels became aware of the dogs’ plight after reuniting a stray dog with the occupants, who were said to be Asian and owners of a canine security company (note: it’s not confirmed if this was K9 Cube or another firm).
The volunteer wrote: ‘These are the pics from Dagenham – no food, no shelter, no water.
‘We have been waiting for the RSPCA to attend since yesterday despite numerous calls.’
They added: ‘The address is registered to a security company which has approximately five different addresses.’
Volunteers lowered buckets of food and water for the dogs, to at least keep them alive while waiting for the authorities to attend.
The RSPCA eventually attended and two of the eight dogs were taken into their care immediately with the remaining six also due to be collected.
The occupant of 132 St Georges Road was later named as Abdullah Aslam Baker, born November 1994, and the company name was Baker Guarding Limited. According to Companies House Baker has since resigned as a director the company. The company is still active, however, with an Asif Butt as its remaining sole director..
It’s not known if anyone was ever prosecuted in relation to the Dagenham dogs of if Abdullah Baker is linked to Daanyaal Chowdhury, but the pair have much in common.
CONVICTED (2023) | disgraced ex police officer Amy Louise Byrne, born November 1992, and partner Harry Angell, born c. 1991, of Downbank Avenue, Barnehurst, Bexleyheath DA7 6RT – sold sick and dying kittens in £280k scam.
RSPCA officers and police raided the Bexleyheath home of Harry Angell and former police officer Amy Byrne following a string of complaints to Trading Standards about sick and dying kittens they’d sold
Former British Transport Police officer Amy Byrne and boyfriend Harry Angell pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and breaches of the Animal Welfare Act.
A total of 17 kittens were found on the premises on the day of the search, one of which died a short time later
The couple bought and bred kittens for sale but when customers received their new pets many found that they were malnourished, ill and covered in their own urine or faeces.
Sales and complaints stretch back as far as 2015 and in court RSPCA prosecutor Hazel Stevens gave six examples where kittens died soon after being purchased.
The couple used at least 33 different fake names in their adverts, including claiming to be from Cat Cuddles Rehoming which is a genuine charity. On another occasion they used the ID of someone who had purchased a cat off them to advertise other kittens.
Byrne lied to buyers that she was a vet and that the kittens had been wormed and microchipped, but health certificates provided turned out to be fake.
Byrne lied to buyers that she was a vet but the health certificates provided turned out to be fake.
One victim told the court that she arranged to buy a male kitten off Byrne and Angell as a surprise for her autistic son who had recently lost his cat.
Her son made a thank you card for Bryne which she accepted as she dropped off the kitten.
After Byrne left the mum realised the kitten was female, emaciated and had diarrhoea stuck in her fur. The kitten died a short time later.
A number of the kittens were living in hutches in the garden of the property
Ms Stevens told the court: “There were human and animal victims in this. Humans were risk of getting these illnesses from the cat. Children who were excited about a new member of the family including one child who made a card to thank Amy Byrne, only to see them die days later.
Another victim of their scam said: “Having recently lost a cat to the road, we were so looking forward to giving a home to a new kitten. We instantly fell in love with Elsa who was so sleepy and cuddly when we got her. For the two precious weeks we had her in our lives, she became part of our family.
“We were just devastated to watch her slowly go downhill, monitoring her eating so little, trying to rid her of the worms she arrived with and taking her to the vet for numerous checks/tests. She spent her last two days in the animal hospital with them trying everything to make her better but she gave up the fight and we began our grieving for little Elsa.”
When owners got back in contact with Byrne and Angell after the sale they were often ignored, Ms Stevens said.
Angell and Byrne had a history of kitten sales and complaints stretched back as far as 2015
The court heard that on one occasion a distraught buyer and her boyfriend turned up at their house to ask for their money back. Byrne told them to wait outside until Angell arrived on the scene and shouted:
“You bought the kitten from me not Amy, but I am not giving you a f***ing penny.”
As a result of the volume of complaints that Trading Standards, the RSPCA and the police were receiving, a search was carried out at Byrne and Angell’s home on Downbank Avenue in Barnehurst, Bexleyheath on August 26, 2021.
A total of 17 kittens were found on the premises on the day of the search, with a vet assessing that six of them were suffering. Those six cats were confiscated and one died a short time later.
During the search Byrne and Angell tried to dispose of their mobile phones. Angell jumped out of the window and threw his phone in the front garden and while police were chasing him Byrne carried out a factory reset of hers.
Angell’s phone was recovered and revealed hundreds of images of kittens, enquiries about adverts and complaints from people reporting that their kittens were sick.
Messages also revealed that the couple found adverts for cheap kittens online, gave the cats flea treatments and then sold them on.
On one occasion Angell bragged about how he bought two kittens for £75 then sold them on for £600 each the next week.
Analysis carried out by the RSPCA showed that the couple intended to make a gain of £278,870.
During an interview Angell confirmed that the kittens seized had not seen a vet as he does not agree with veterinary practices.
Byrne admitted they breed cats and sell them but said they were not making a profit.
Byrne was a British Transport Police (BTP) officer when these crimes were carried out but was the subject of a misconduct investigation relating to serious drug offences which eventually led to her being fired in January 2023.
A BTP misconduct hearing report said a hydroponics tent, two cannabis plants, bag of cannabis, half smoked joint and pack of cannabis seeds were found at her address.
Sentencing | Angell was jailed for three years and four months, while Byrne was jailed for three years and eight months. The couple were also disqualified from owning pets indefinitely and cannot appeal for at least 10 years.
CONVICTED (2023) | backyard pet breeder Navdeep Singh aka Rozer Sandhu or Navdeep Singh Sandhu, born August 1984, of 37 Culver Road, Stockport SK3 8PG – kept malnourished dogs and cats in appalling conditions.
Self-proclaimed ‘TikTok star’ Navdeep Singh kept dogs in ‘faeces-strewn yard’ and cats in a baking hot aviary without water. Image source: Rozer Sandhu, Facebook
Singh, a self-proclaimed TikTok star who came to the UK from India, pleaded guilty to seven offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to several French bulldogs and Bengal cats kept in grim conditions at his home.
Four French bulldogs were found in a faeces-strewn yard with a further four malnourished puppies discovered in a garage.
The RSPCA had previously issued Singh with warnings to clear up the yard and cattery and take one of the puppies to the vet, but he failed to take action.
RSPCA inspector Beth Fazakerley subsequently attended Singh’s home with two police officers and found adult bulldogs Luna, Rocky, Daisy and Blue in the filthy yard. Four puppies, described as underweight with bones prominent through their skin, were found hunched up among ripped up cardboard and faeces in the garage of the property.
Five Bengal cats were being kept in an aviary, where they were fully exposed to the elements as temperatures soared as high as 36C.
Inspector Fazakerley also witnessed five cats housed in four separate rooms in a back garden aviary during a searing heatwave. Singh had also failed to provide the animals with clean water.
Inspector Fazakerley : “The first thing I noticed as I walked through the main door of the aviary was the extreme heat – within seconds I was sweating profusely and just walking around was uncomfortable.
“I took the temperature on my temperature gun and in the cleanest area for the cats it reached 36C. It was cooler in the rear, but there was virtually nowhere for the cats to lie down that was comfortable and clean from faeces and urine. Throughout the enclosure there was straw, piles of rubbish, empty bin bags, old food wrappers and a heat lamp switched on in a crate.”
Another RSPCA inspector Heather Morris told the court that Singh had said he was “making large amounts of money” from his TikTok videos.
She added: “He said he was quite busy and was planning on selling the house as his relationship had broken down with his girlfriend. He admitted that he wasn’t doing enough for the animals.”
All of the animals were seized and taken to Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. Singh later signed over the puppies and and two litters of two kittens who were born after the cats were removed from the property.
A vet’s expert report stated that all four of the puppies were very thin, scoring one out of nine on a body condition score when an ideal weight would be four or five.
The vet added: “It is clear the cats’ accommodation was excessively hot and would have had a negative impact on these animals, particularly as they had no access to water.
“While the temperatures measured in the puppies’ accommodation were within the acceptable range, French bulldogs are extremely susceptible to heat stroke due to their brachycephalic conformation and this can have a significant, negative welfare impact and even be fatal if left untreated.
“A number of the adults were seen panting and the original call to the police related to the dogs being distressed due to the heat. Brachycephalic dogs must be kept at cooler temperatures than other dog breeds. They should actively be kept out of the sun, have access to fresh clean water and ventilation, such as a fan.”
Sentencing | fined £8,199.98 and ordered to pay the RSPCA’s prosecution costs of £1,086.98. Banned from owning animals for six years (expires April 2029).
CONVICTED (2022) | breeder Jay Clarke, born 29 January 1955, of 10 Black Dog Walk, Northgate, Crawley RH10 8HL – for cruelty to 14 poorly dogs kept in squalor.
Jay Clarke pictured in around 2010
Jay Clarke, described in court as an experienced breeder who had shown dogs, was banned from keeping animals for life after being convicted of a string of cruelty charges relating to 14 dogs. Her conviction followed that of her co-accused, husband Gordon Clarke, in January 2022.
RSPCA officers visited the Clarkes’ home in Black Dog Walk on April 6, 2021 after concerns were raised about the welfare of a large number of animals living at the home.
Sussex Police obtained a warrant and officers returned on April 8 with an independent vet. A total of 16 dogs and two cats were seized and were later signed over for rehoming by the RSPCA.
RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley, who led the investigation, said in his witness statement: “The interior of the house was dimly lit. The ‘living room’ area with a sofa and very large TV was accessible by the cats, Rottweilers and chihuahuas. There were food and water bowls in this area.
“To the rear of this was an area of approximately 4m x 2.5m which contained the spaniels. This area had a strong smell and the walls and floor were stained with either faeces or dirt or a mixture of the two.
“There was a human bed in this area with a mattress. The mattress was stained brown and there were blankets on it which were also brown and covered in faeces or mud.
“The floor had concrete missing in places and two dogs were cowering in the area where a draw was missing from a wooden chest of drawers.
“There were no water or food bowls in this area. In this area I saw packs of dog food but this was not accessible to the dogs.
“I was alarmed by the condition of many of these animals and there seemed to be a general lack of care for these animals. The spaniels looked like they had been roughly de-matted with a sharp implement and some of these dogs had open wounds.”
The vet checked all of the animals and found many of them had untreated dental disease, ear infections, eye conditions and skin problems, while some were lame and one had infected wounds.
Two of the spaniels were considered by the vet to be in a ‘severe condition’ including a female brown spaniel, called Betty who was rushed to vets for emergency treatment.
Inspector Woodley added: “[She] was in such a poor condition that two police officers agreed to take [her] in an emergency fashion direct to the vets for immediate emergency treatment.”
Tragically, little Betty was so unwell that she was put to sleep to end her suffering.
Sentencing | 26 weeks in prison – suspended for 12 months; ten rehabilitation activity requirement sessions; £1,000 in costs plus victim surcharge of £128. Disqualified from keeping all animals for life.
CONVICTED (2022) | Chloe Birkin, born 9 February 1988, of Oldgate Lane, Thrybergh, Rotherham S65 – kept 17 distressed animals inside her “putrid” home.
RSPCA officers found faeces on walls, rotten food and an “eye-watering stench” when they attended Birkin’s home after a call from social services in April 2021.
Inside, they found eight dogs, only two of whom were not kept in a closed bedroom or a pen. They also found nine cats, three of whom were kittens kept with their mother in a pen next to rotten food.
A treadmill was set up with leads hanging off it, which was how the dogs were being walked. There was also no water in bowls out to drink.
The animals all needed treatment for a range of illnesses, including conjunctivitis, sneezing, ear infections and diarrhoea.
In court Birkin said she was left unable to get out of bed and care for her numerous pets after receiving cosmetic surgery six weeks earlier.
Her solicitor, Mr Glenn Cook, told the court: “It led to a situation where she wasn’t physically capable to look after these animals and her environment deteriorated rapidly.
“It left the house in a horrendous state.”
When asked by district judge Timothy Spruce why she had so many animals, Mr Cook said: “She always has. She loves animals. It’s what her family does.
“But not in the future, I must stress. Simply, her environment has vastly improved and she has no intention of getting any more animals.”
Birkin pleaded guilty to failing to take the animals for treatment and failing to keep the house hygienic for their needs.
Speaking for the RSPCA, solicitor Ms Charlotte Farrier told the court Birkin had cooperated “fully” with the animal welfare charity and it was not interested in banning her from keeping pets, and was happy for her to keep two of the dogs going forward.
In sentencing, Judge Spruce handed Birkin a £400 fine and ordered her to pay a further £340 in costs.
“The number of animals involved in this case would be difficult for anyone to look after properly,” said the judge.
“But given the context of your surgery at the end of March, which left you bedridden and incapable of looking after them, it was always going to be a recipe for disaster.
“Fortunately, the RSPCA were alerted by social services to this issue relatively early. The short duration of neglect means the animals can make a good recovery once they are in the care of the RSPCA.
“There’s a lesson in this isn’t there? In knowing your own limitations. It’s not easy to look after that many animals.
“I take the RSPCA’s lead and will not impose a disqualification order, or a deprivation order for those two dogs, who can be returned to your – much improved – home.
“I’m confident I won’t see you back here.”
The court heard all the animals have made a full recovery and have all now been rehomed with new owners.
Sentencing: a total of £740 in fines and costs. No ban.
CONVICTED (2021) | kitten breeders Peter Rogers, born c. 1957, and wife Debbie Rogers, born c. 1961, of Field Cottages, Alkington, Whitchurch SY13 3NE – allowed their cat to become emaciated and suffer with ruptured eyes.
Toffee
Persian cat Toffee was so poorly after months of neglect at the hands of the Rogers she had to be put down. The vet who examined Toffee said the case was one of the clearest cases of severe neglect that he had seen in the last decade.
The couple both pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
RSPCA inspector Nayman Dunderdale visited the couple’s property on June 8, 2021, after the charity received a report about a matted silver tabby cat that was limping.
Peter Rogers told the inspector that Toffee, who was aged between four and five, had cancer and her eyes were missing. He said she needed to be put to sleep and it was his fault they had left it so long.
He said an appointment had been made at their vets for Toffee later that evening, but a check by the RSPCA inspector ten minutes later, revealed that while the practice had some of the couple’s other cats on their books, they did not have one registered under that name. Peter Rogers also told the inspector they were cat breeders.
In his statement, Mr Dunderdale said: “Mr Rogers brought the cat to me. Her eyes were closed and matted with green gunk and she looked very thin, with the bones of her hip spine and hind quarters easily visible.
“Mr Rogers asked me to take her, and said she needed to be put to sleep. I asked that Toffee be brought to my van so I could put her in a basket.”
Toffee was taken straight to a vet where she was examined and found to be emaciated, with a body condition score of just one out of nine. She weighed 1.1kg (2.4lbs) and should have been at least 2 to 2.5kg (between 4.4lbs and 5.5lbs).
Both her eyes had ruptured many days or even weeks before, indicated by the presence of thick dried discharge all over her eye sockets and cheeks, which were embedded with matted hair. The discharge was also present on both her forelimbs where she had rubbed herself in an effort to relieve the discomfort.
The vet who examined Toffee said: “She had a gentle nature despite the horrendous discomfort she was no doubt experiencing. Unfortunately, her welfare was so severely compromised, and with such a slim chance of returning her to an acceptable level of quality of life, that she was euthanised shortly after examination.
“Corneal pain is one of the most acute and severe pain an animal can experience as the cornea is incredibly sensitive to even the lightest trauma. Her owners plainly ignored obvious signs of severe pain and distress over a prolonged period of time. They also allowed her to become very underweight to the point of emaciation.”
He added: “I have been a practising small animal veterinary surgeon for over 15 years. I regularly see cats with sore eyes of varying severity in my daily work. I also work alongside a vet with an interest in veterinary ophthalmology and we communicate regularly about cases, so I am very familiar with corneal issues in cats. In the course of the last decade this is one of the clearest cases of severe neglect that I have seen.”
In mitigation, the court heard that there had been bereavement and illness in the family and Peter Rogers was having mental health difficulties and struggling to cope generally.
In total 15 animals which were owned by the couple have since been rehomed.
Speaking after sentencing, Mr Dunderdale said: “It was clear that Toffee had been suffering pain and distress for a long time and her owners should have done the right thing by her and sought treatment at the earliest opportunity. Her quality of life was so poor at the end that there was no other option but to end her suffering. We always urge people to seek help if they are struggling to look after their pets, rather than letting the situation deteriorate to the extent that it did with Toffee.”
Sentencing: 200 hours of unpaid work; total costs and charges of £345. Lifetime ban on keeping all animals.
CONVICTED (2021) | breeder Mark James Blackburn, born c. 1986, of 17 Swanage Road, Eccles, City of Salford M30 8NJ – starved dogs, cats and rabbits to death.
Blackburn was banned from keeping animals after the decomposing bodies of dead dogs, cats and rabbits were found in his home.
He pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences when he appeared before Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 14 September 2021.
The court heard how the RSPCA were called to Blackburn’s house by the police on December 8, 2019 and found 17 dead animals in the house.
They also came across five underweight Akita dogs.
Inspector Danni Jennnings attended the scene and said when she arrived at the address the front door was already open.
She said: “Before I entered the property I noted an obvious smell consistent with dead bodies.”
During a search of the property she then discovered the bodies of decomposing animals in various rooms.
She said: “In the living room directly off the hallway on the right, there was a dead, black adult rabbit in a wooden box.
“This box contained no food or water.
“Under the window, behind a bed head was another dead, black adult rabbit.
“In the middle of this room, was a decomposing, what appeared to be a pug type dog. This dog appeared to have been scavenged as parts of its legs and face were missing and there was a heavy maggot infestation.
“In a dog crate at the back of this room were two more pug type dogs. These too were in a state of decomposition. There was no food or water visible in this crate.
“In a room off the kitchen was a filthy room conditions in this room were deplorable. Filthy dog crates with no bedding, food or water, three of which contained the decomposed remains of Akita dogs.”
In the kitchen she found a kennel containing a decomposed Akita and in another cardboard box was another dead rabbit. During a search of the hallway, Danni came across two cardboard boxes with the lids shut and when she opened these she found two dead rabbits with no food and water present.
Upstairs the decomposed body of another Akita was found in a crate in the main bedroom and in another bedroom the bodies of four dead and decomposing cats were found.
Five live Akitas were found in the property and were taken for veterinary treatment. All were underweight and three needed drips inserted as they were dehydrated.
Four of the rescued Akitas were owned by other breeders and have been returned to their owners and made a recovery.
One was owned by Blackburn and was signed over into RSPCA care for rehoming.
An expert vet said that the decomposition of the animals suggested they all died at various times from dehydration as no drinking water was present at the house. He added: “All would have suffered from mechanisms of pain, headaches, disorientation, intense thirst, weakness, fatigue, eventual collapse, organ failure and death for a period of at least five days, possibly longer.”
In mitigation the court heard Blackburn was suffering from depression and anxiety.
Sentencing: four months’ custody suspended for six months for each offence to run concurrently; 12-month community order including a 15-day Rehabilitation and Activity Requirement; ordered to pay £900 costs. Ten-year ban on owning animals (expires September 2031).
CONVICTED (2021) | Monika Listos aka Moniczka Listos, born 21/09/1994 of 66 Lauderdale Avenue, Coventry CV6 4LL – ran an illegal kitten farm and neglected the animals in her care.
Monika Listos ran an illegal kitten farm from an unoccupied house in Coventry
Polish national Listos, who traded under the name Cashmere Touch Ragdoll and is a known associate of notorious breeder Lizzie Scarrott, kept a number of very young and sick kittens in a squalid empty house before selling them on the internet.
Listos would purchase the kittens from online adverts before flogging them on Gumtree for a profit.
She was investigated by the RSPCA following 46 complaints about her actions from concerned members of the public.
Prospective buyers reported that kittens were being sold which were too young to be away from their mum and many were gravely ill.
The Polish national was jailed and banned from keeping all animals for life
Listos was found guilty of two animal welfare offences following a three-day trial and was jailed for 20 weeks. She was also banned from keeping animals for life.
Animal welfare inspectors attended the address where the kittens were being sold from on Lillington Road, Wood End, on April 27, 2019.
Numerous kittens could be seen in the barely furnished living room including one which was very small and was not moving.
Inside there were 18 kittens – believed to be in three separate litters – who were living in poor conditions.
RSPCA Inspector Louise Marston said: “I noticed a very bad smell of illness, diarrhoea and filth.
“There was a small tupperware tub present containing some dry kitten food, an empty plate and an empty plastic double bowl.
“There was no water at all, no bedding and no toys for the kittens to play with. There were no adult cats seen and each room was empty of all furnishings. . “The smallest kitten was on the couch huddled between two other kittens. She felt very thin and her bottom was very dirty, covered in diarrhoea.
“There was no way that she could physically access food, water and the litter tray without being taken on and off the couch as she was too small and clearly too weak to climb herself.”
The pets were taken to a nearby vets who found the kittens to be in a suffering state so Louise contacted Listos for her to be interviewed under caution.
Sadly, the smallest kitten found at the address died overnight while in veterinary care.
Listos and her partner are known associates of Lizzie Scarrott, whose illegal breeding operation was exposed by BBC Watchdog in 2018
Some of the other kittens were found to be aged four and five weeks old – which is too young to be away from their mum. This would usually be aged around eight weeks.
Twelve of the 18 were found to be suffering from feline parvovirus and also died.
The pair have much in common, not least a callous disregard for the kittens they breed
Louise said: “Sadly, kittens infected with feline parvovirus is something we do see, when kittens’ mothers were not vaccinated before becoming pregnant.
“These kittens were found in a house on their own and many were far too young to be away from their mum and were also at risk from the spread feline parvovirus via contact with contaminated faeces.
“Anyone looking for a new kitten should take time to make sure they have been bred responsibly, to avoid health and behavioural issues further down the line.”
Sentencing: jailed for 20 weeks; ordered to pay a total of £10,115. Banned from keeping animals for life.
Monika Listos’s fiancé is Arek ‘Adam’ Palka, also very good friends with Lizzie Scarrott and her husband Chris.
Monika Listos with Arek Palka.
Listos also has a pet sitting business (possibly now defunct) aimed at her fellow UK-based Poles. Its name is ‘Opieka nad zwierzętami Anglia’ which translates as Animal Care England.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
