BRADFORD MAN LEE AVEYARD GIVEN 10-YEAR ANIMAL KEEPING BAN AFTER HOUSING HUSKY IN FILTHY CUPBOARD
Lee Mark Aveyard, born on June 6, 1991, of Broadstone Way, Holme Wood, Bradford BD4, was convicted in 2019 for cruelly neglecting a husky named Kenz.Aveyard was sentenced to a 10-year ban on keeping animals after authorities found him keeping Kenz in a filthy cupboard with insufficient food and water.
Kenz was discovered severely emaciated, collapsed in his own waste inside a makeshift dog pen constructed within the cupboard.
The cupboard, situated at the top of the stairs, had been converted into a pen using chicken wire and bits of wood, which were secured with a cricket bat.
The RSPCA attended Aveyard’s home on October 11, 2018.
RSPCA chief inspector Heidi Jenner described her shock upon arrival: “As soon as the inspector walked through the door to the property there was a strong smell of ammonia.
She was stunned to see where Kenz was living.
He was in a cupboard at the top of the stairs that had been turned into a dog pen with chicken wire and bits of wood, wedged in place with a cricket bat.
Kenz was collapsed in a pool of urine with his back legs sprawled out to the side and surrounded by faeces.
There was no evidence of food or water.
The inspector noted the overpowering smell and Kenz’s physical condition: “The smell was horrendous and even through his thick coat, which was stained yellow, you could see how skinny he was.
He was unable to stand, and when she lifted him up by his harness, it was like holding a shopping bag — he just hung there.” Veterinary assessment revealed Kenz was severely underweight, with ribs, spine, and pelvis clearly visible.
He also had painful pressure sores on his legs, including a significant sore on his left hind leg measuring 2.5cm in diameter and 1cm deep.
Kenz was diagnosed as anaemic.
He weighed only 13.7 kg upon rescue but gained 2.4kg in three days, and after four weeks, he increased to 22.5kg—a 64% weight increase.
As of the latest report, he weighed 34.4kg.
Under the care of the RSPCA, Kenz gradually recovered.
Animal Centre Manager Jeanette Ainscough remarked on his transformation: “Seeing Kenz now, it’s hard to believe that he is the same dog.
His transformation has been absolutely amazing.” However, Kenz faced setbacks; an issue with metalwork in his leg, likely placed during his puppyhood, caused him pain.
An operation was required, and through daily physiotherapy and weekly hydrotherapy sessions donated by My Vet Hydro, the team successfully avoided amputation.
Sentencing for Aveyard included a 12-month probation order with 15 days of rehabilitation activity, a five-month curfew order, and a total of £385 in costs and charges.
He was also disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years, a ban which will expire in March 2029.
Additionally, a deprivation order was made for Kenz to ensure his welfare is maintained.
