Daanyaal Chowdhury, the director of a London based firm which supplied working dogs for security purposes, pled guilty to three animal welfare offences at Perth Sheriff Court on 27 April 2023.
The court granted an order at that time preventing Daanyaal Chowdhury from owning, keeping or dealing in animals for five years.
On 25 May the court gave him a Community Payback Order requiring him to be under supervision for 12 months and to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work.
The procurator fiscal depute told the court that on 28 October 2020 Police and Inspectors from the Scottish SPCA went to Chowdhury’s property in Glenalmond, Perth following a call to the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline.
A warrant has been sought after a local vet had raised concerns about a diseased German Shepherd called Sophie which had been brought to their practice on behalf of Chowdhury.
They found South Cairnies Farm Cottage ‘chaotic and hazardous’ with homemade kennels and various broken items scattered about.
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.
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 dirty with urine and faeces; most had no water or bedding.
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.
A veterinary witness examined 32 dogs, 17 kittens and 16 cats at the property. They found multiple dermatological, respiratory, ophthalmic, and ear related diseases.
One of the kittens, Bella, despite strenuous efforts to treat a persistent respiratory, had to be euthanised on welfare grounds as there was no way to improve the quality of her life.
Speaking following the sentencing, 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.”