USMAN KHALID OF WEDNESBURY SENTENCED FOR FAILURE TO TREAT EMACIATED DOG AND MULTIPLE ANIMAL WELFARE OFFENCES

In 2019, backyard breeder Usman Khalid, born on January 4, 1994, of Old Park Road, Wednesbury WS10 9JE, was convicted of neglecting an emaciated dog who subsequently died shortly after giving birth to 16 puppies.

Khalid refused to seek veterinary treatment for his dog, Jinx, a Dogue de Bordeaux crossbreed, after she gave birth to a large litter. The court heard that Jinx was kept confined in a kennel and was so ill following the birth that she was unable to stand. Three of her puppies were stillborn, one was crushed during delivery, and the remaining eleven died within days.

Jinx was described as being "skin and bone," and was found by a concerned member of the public lying motionless and crying in a kennel at Khalid’s home. She was suffering from severe diarrhoea, was severely underweight, and had ulcerated mammary glands, which prevented her from nursing her puppies.

When attempts were made to lift her, she screamed, and moments later, she experienced a fit and died in the arms of those present. The member of the public transported Jinx’s body, along with the sole surviving puppy, Winnie, to a nearby vet. The RSPCA was also contacted.

Winnie received emergency treatment but was gravely ill and was not expected to survive the night. However, she pulled through and went on to fully recover. Winnie has since been rehomed by the RSPCA.

Inspector Nicola Johnson, who led the investigation, stated, "The puppies’ bodies were never found. When I saw Jinx’s body, it was quite clear she was emaciated, with her ribs clearly visible, and she had awful ulcers on her mammary glands which would have been very painful. If she was taken for treatment when the problem first arose, I am in no doubt she would have survived."

She added, "As we never found the puppies, we were unable to establish how they died. This has been a terribly upsetting case, but I would like to thank the members of the public who got involved — helping the mother and pup, alerting us, and bravely giving evidence in court, which allowed us to secure justice for Jinx and ensured Winnie’s survival."

Khalid was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, ordered to pay £585 in costs and charges, and was banned for life from keeping animals.