Bradford man banned from keeping exotic birds after parrot dies

Mohammed Tariq lost the right to keep exotic birds for a decade after an African Grey parrot he sold died just nine days later, turning a Bradford case into a hard lesson on parrot welfare and accountability.

At Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday, May 8, 2026, Tariq, of Heathcliff Mews in Thornton, admitted two animal-cruelty matters brought by the RSPCA under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The court heard the case involved two endangered exotic birds, one of which had to be euthanised and another that suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The bird at the centre of the case was Casper, who Tariq had advertised on Free Ads under the username parrots999 as a "super tame 10-year-old" African Grey parrot. Casper was actually 23 years old and had been sold for £1,245 on March 25, 2025 before being euthanised on April 3, 2025, after vets found serious injuries and an untreatable chronic, progressive disease.

The RSPCA said Casper’s buyer had been significantly missold and argued Tariq posed a high risk to future exotic animals. During the hearing, Tariq’s representative said he was receiving Universal Credit and was in thousands of pounds of debt, while describing him as someone with a love of parrots and knowledge about them. That did not change the court’s conclusion. He was banned from keeping exotic birds for 10 years, a penalty that reflects how seriously the law treats failed care when a bird’s welfare has already collapsed.

The second bird, Congo, was found during an RSPCA search of Tariq’s home after Casper’s death. The court also heard that Tariq’s address had already been deemed unsuitable in 2019 for the licensing and keeping of exotic birds, yet he kept buying and selling such birds for another six years. For keepers, that is the clearest possible warning sign: a bird trade built on false information, unsafe premises and animals moving through a home that regulators had already judged unfit.

The RSPCA says exotic pets have specialist needs, can be difficult and expensive to care for, and often require expert veterinary attention that may be far away and costly. Its guidance on pet birds says parrot ownership is a major commitment, with some parrots living for more than 50 years, which makes proper diet, enrichment, space and access to an avian vet essential. Born Free and the RSPCA have also warned that the UK exotic pet trade is extensive and poorly regulated, adding pressure to a hobby where mistakes can become lifelong suffering.

Casper’s death was not just the end of one sale. It was the moment the welfare failures around him caught up with the person who put him there.