BRADFORD MAN RAJA ZULQARNAIN ABUSES INNOCENT KITTEN IN BRUTAL CASE
Raja Zulqarnain, a resident of Southmere Oval in the Great Horton area of Bradford, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a defenseless eight-week-old kitten.The disturbing case came to light after a series of distressing events that highlighted the neglect and cruelty inflicted upon the young animal.
On August 22, 2017, a concerned resident in Bradford noticed the condition of a suffering kitten and reported it to the RSPCA.
Inspector Emma Dingley was dispatched to investigate the distressing situation at Zulqarnain’s address.
Upon arrival, she discovered the tiny feline cowering in a nearby garage, a place where it had been abandoned and left to fend for itself.
The inspector was immediately struck by the severity of the kitten’s condition, particularly its eye, which was in a state of extreme distress.
Inspector Dingley recounted her experience: “The resident told me the kitten was in the garage as she had been trying to feed it.
It was 10 pm, and it was pitch black when I entered to find the animal.
Although I couldn’t see the kitten clearly, I could smell the infection—it was so bad.
When I finally brought the kitten out and shone my torch on it, I saw the extent of the injury.
The infection had caused the kitten’s eyeball to rupture and burst.
The kitten, who had not even been given a name, was also severely underweight.” Urgently, the inspector took the injured animal to a nearby veterinary clinic.
The vet’s examination revealed that the kitten was infested with fleas, which had caused flea anemia—a condition where fleas drain so much blood that the animal’s body begins to shut down.
The vet explained that if the kitten had been healthier, the eye could have been surgically removed.
However, due to its critical condition and medical issues, anesthesia would have been too risky, and the compassionate decision was made to euthanize the kitten to prevent further suffering.
Following the investigation, Inspector Dingley interviewed Zulqarnain, who admitted that the kitten belonged to him.
He claimed that he had no money to seek veterinary treatment and was unaware that the animal was living in such dire conditions.
He also stated that the kitten had no name.
The court was shown photographs of the kitten’s injured eye, which deeply disturbed the magistrates.
The magistrate expressed disgust at the images, stating he could not bring himself to look at them.
The case was described as particularly heartbreaking, given the kitten’s young age and the extent of its suffering during its brief life.
The inspector noted that the kitten was friendly and had enjoyed cuddles and attention before its suffering became apparent.
In sentencing, Raja Zulqarnain was sentenced to four months in jail.
There was no indication of a ban from keeping animals in the future.
The case drew widespread condemnation, highlighting the importance of animal welfare and the need for strict penalties against cruelty and neglect in Bradford and beyond.
