Conure parrot neglected, resulting in death
Howell, NJ (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009
County: Monmouth
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Mahmoud Hussein, DVM
» Mohamed R El-Banna, DVM
One of two veterinarians charged with animal cruelty after the death of a parrot has pleaded guilty.
Mahmoud Hussein, 39, admitted in Municipal Court on Wednesday that he failed to provide adequate sustenance and shelter to a Conure parrot that died outside the Howell Veterinary Clinic on Oct. 20, said Victor "Buddy" Amato, chief of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The bird, named Tickles, was kept in an unheated entryway of the Fort Plains Road office and was found dead after temperatures dipped into the 40s, Amato said.
"The bird was kept there despite the objections of staff members," Amato said. "A parrot can't handle that kind of cold. They're tropical animals."
Those staff members initiated the complaint against Hussein when the bird was found dead, Amato said.
Hussein was ordered by Judge Alan Kaplan to pay a $1,000 fine, Amato said, and the state Board of Veterinary Medicine will have the option to review his license to practice.
A second doctor associated with the practice - Mohamed R. El-Banna, 66, - has also been charged with animal cruelty, Amato said. That charge will be heard at an upcoming court date.
An employee answering the telephone at the clinic Thursday said the doctors declined comment. References |
