AISHA FAROOQ BANNED FROM KEEPING ANIMALS IN NORTON GREEN AND STOKE-ON-TRENT AFTER CRUELTY CASES

Aisha Farooq, also known as Aisha Amin, born on August 17, 1973, and residing at 20 Maple Close in Stoke-on-Trent, has been found guilty of violating a court-imposed ban on keeping animals. Her breach of the lifetime disqualification order, originally issued in 2014, came to light after authorities discovered her in possession of two cats at her Norton Green residence, despite her previous convictions for animal cruelty.

Farooq’s history with animal welfare offenses is deeply troubling. In 2014, she was handed a lifetime ban from owning animals after authorities uncovered her neglectful treatment of her pets, which included leaving cats and hamsters to die of starvation in her abandoned home on Spring Road, Normacot. The court heard that her inability to care for her animals was linked to her financial struggles at the time, which led her to leave five cats and two hamsters behind in deplorable conditions. She subsequently moved into a Bed & Breakfast in Hanley, leaving her pets behind and neglecting their needs.

In November 2016, the RSPCA was alerted by a police officer who had observed cats at Farooq’s residence in Norton Green. Despite her previous conviction and the court’s order, she was found to be in breach of her ban. An investigation revealed that she had kept two cats at her property, one of whom was severely injured. The RSPCA inspector Charlotte Melvin described the distressing condition of the animals. She explained, “There were two cats inside the property – a kitten named Whiskers and an adult cat named JJ, who had a terrible injury and was walking with an abnormal limp.”

Further examination by a veterinarian confirmed that JJ had a fractured hip, which had gone untreated for some time. The injury was so severe that JJ required amputation of her leg. Inspector Melvin emphasized that this injury could have been prevented if Farooq had adhered to the court’s disqualification order. She stated, “This could have all been avoided if the disqualification order had not been breached in the first place. The courts hand out disqualification orders for a reason – to protect animals from suffering and neglect at the hands of people who have been convicted of doing so.”

Fortunately, both cats removed from Farooq’s property have since been rehomed and are now living healthy, happy lives. The RSPCA relies heavily on public reports and tips to enforce animal welfare laws, and Inspector Melvin urged the community to remain vigilant. “It is important to reiterate to the public that we rely on them to tell us if someone has breached a ban. We depend on the public to be our eyes and ears, and we take breaches of bans very seriously – as do the courts.”

In court, Farooq received an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for breaching her disqualification order. Additionally, she was sentenced to a further 12 weeks in prison, also suspended for a year, for failing to meet the needs of the injured cat. She was ordered to pay £300 in court costs. Despite these penalties, her lifetime ban on owning animals remains in effect, ensuring she cannot legally keep pets in the future.