Man who kept over 30 animals in cramped flat has been banned for keeping animals for life

Forty-year old Maqsood Asghar was also placed on a Community Payback Order for 12 months and ordered to perform 180 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Neil Mackinnon at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today. He had previously pled guilty to a breach of the Animal Health and Welfare Act and sentence had been deferred for background reports.

Inspectors from the Scottish SPCA were called to Asghar’s flat in Kirk Street, Edinburgh, on June 15 last year by police officers. They were met by two large dogs and a very strong smell of urine and faeces. Asghar told them there were other animals in the flat.

The inspectors found four rabbits and four guinea pigs in a cage suitable for holding one hamster, two terrapins, 10 rats in one cage, quail, doves, Dumbo rats, gerbils, chinchillas, a mouse and a cat. The animals were in cages piled up on top of each other with limited access to food and water.

Defence solicitor, Nigel Bruce, told Sheriff Mackinnon that Asghar had transferred ownership of the animals to the SSPCA. His client, he said, had a compulsive disorder for collecting things.

As well as the life ban, Sheriff Mackinnon told Asghar that no application for a variation or termination of the order could be made for eight years.