Animal Shelter Horror: 37 Dead Dogs Found in 'Inhumane Conditions'
Police officers, alongside the RSPCA and Basildon Council, discovered 37 deceased dogs at a rehoming centre in Essex, where live animals were left to roam among rotting carcasses in what authorities described as 'inhumane conditions'. The shocking case unfolded at Save A Paw in Crays Hill, Billericay, run by Oaveed Rahman, 26, who purported to care for animals but instead left them to suffer.
Veterinary Surgeon Describes 'Most Horrific' Scene
Veterinary surgeon Amy Cooper, called to the scene with police on 13 May, reported that she could smell rotting flesh from 40 metres away. In a statement read to Basildon Crown Court, she described masses of bodies riddled with maggots, with rats running around outside. Remains of dogs were found in bins, outbuildings, and the garden, while 21 live dogs were kept in pens or confined to small spaces without access to food, despite open bags being present on the property.
Ms Cooper stated, 'I can honestly say what I smelt and saw was the most horrific thing I have ever seen. It was clear just from a general initial inspection that these animals were all suffering.' The dogs faced 'mental turmoil' as they could see food they could not reach, and many were severely underweight, with faeces found inside their pens and cages.
Victims' Heartbreak and Financial Exploitation
Victims, whose dogs were 'rehomed' by Rahman, sobbed in the packed public gallery as details emerged. Three of the 21 dogs were so unwell they had to be put down, and one poodle later went blind. Rahman took around £4,800 from victims, charging 'surrender fees' and accepting 'donations' for his organisation, which he falsely claimed was a charity. He promised to keep in touch about the dogs' welfare but often became difficult to contact or blocked victims.
Emma Thompson, who paid Rahman £300 as a surrender fee and £200 as a donation, said in a victim impact statement, 'I often think about how confused, scared and sad Lennon must’ve felt being taken from the family he loved, transported to Essex and taken to a stranger. He would’ve smelt the death of other dogs at the property.' Another victim, Tina Davis, expressed devastation, saying, 'I torture myself, wondering how much he suffered. He must’ve thought I didn’t love him to leave him at that wretched place.'
Widespread Offending and Court Proceedings
Rahman previously pleaded guilty to cruelty against 21 dogs and a cat, and 11 counts of fraud by false representation. Police found 37 dead dogs during the initial search, with four more discovered when a shed was demolished later. Officers spoke to people in 20 counties, with victims from as far as Scotland using Rahman's services. Superintendent Leigh Norris of Essex Police noted, 'We’ll never truly know the extent of how far maybe offending or this behaviour has gone.'
In court, mitigating lawyer Molly Pinkus said Rahman expressed remorse, but people in the gallery sighed, tutted, and laughed in response. Judge Richard Conley asked for understanding of motivation, stating, 'It is so impossible to understand what can cause a person to do the things that he did. I can’t make sense of it, probation can’t make sense of it, the psychiatrist can’t make sense of it.' Rahman, who appeared by videolink from HMP Chelmsford, also pleaded guilty to owning a fighting dog, an XL bully. The sentencing hearing continues.
