Man kept buzzard in dog kennel

Published on Thursday 27 March 2008 09:16

A MAN kept a bird of prey in a dog kennel in his city flat and fed it on biscuits, a court heard today.

The young buzzard was thin and had damaged its wings from flapping inside the portable kennel when wildlife officers rescued it from George Hunter's Edinburgh flat.

Hunter, 34, admitted offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Animal Welfare Act at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today and could face up to six months in prison.

Police searched the flat Hunter shared with his partner and two children at Niddrie House Park, Edinburgh on June 23, 2006, after a tip-off.

They found 30 budgies and a bull mastiff also living there.

Wildlife crime prosecutor John Barclay said: "On entering the kitchen they saw a young buzzard within a portable dog kennel.

"There was some bits of biscuit on the floor of the kennel.

"The RSPB estimated the buzzard to be about five weeks old."

The buzzard was examined by a vet who found it had been subjected to an "inadequate diet" and had feather damage to its wings from "fretful flapping".

Hunter told police he had taken the bird from some boys at a community centre in Craigmillar because he thought they were going to be cruel to it.

He said he had kept it for a week and had not planned to seek any help in raising it but had fed it on pieces of chicken and liver.

He pleaded guilty to having a live wild bird, a buzzard, in his possession, contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and also admitted contravening the Animal Health and Welfare Act by failing to provide appropriate care for the bird.

Hunter, of 8 West Court, Edinburgh, will be sentenced next month after background reports.