Man pleads guilty following investigation by the Scottish SPCA Special Investigation Unit into “one of the worst cases” they’ve seen.
Brandon Robert Hodge, of Greenock, appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Wednesday 8th October 2025 and pleaded guilty to two charges. Sentencing will take place on the 4th November 2025.
The Scottish SPCA received reports concerning the welfare of birds being kept in poor conditions at a property in Greenock. A warrant was granted to search the property to assess the birds’ welfare. Officers from Police Scotland attended the property with Scottish SPCA SIU Inspectors and expert veterinary surgeons in May 2024.
Scottish SPCA SIU Inspector said: “Upon entering the property, it was clear that the conditions of the home were unsanitary: large deposits of rubbish were covering most surfaces and a pungent odour permeated the air.
Nineteen birds of prey and owls were found confined inside dog and cat carriers encrusted with faecal matter and waste upstairs. On the floor, surrounding the carriers the birds were constrained in, was a significant build-up of faecal matter and waste infested by maggots and insects.
The smell of the room was overpowering, curtains were closed so the room was shrouded in darkness and no fresh water was provided for the birds.”
The Scottish SPCA SIU Inspector reported: “This is one of the worst cases I’ve worked on regarding bird welfare. The birds were seriously distressed, in an unsanitary and inappropriate environment, being subject to severe mental and physical suffering.
The poor condition the birds were in and suffering they had endured significantly upset all involved in bringing this case to light. Upon entering the room the birds were being kept within, our experienced vets were brought to tears.”
All nineteen birds had no water provided or space to stretch wings, carriers were encrusted with faeces, casts and remains of chicks. In addition to this, they also suffered as below:
- Melanistic Barn Owl: a dirty leash was found and the carrier it was in wasn’t large enough to stretch its wings.
- Eurasian Eagle Owl: tail feathers frayed, primary feathers on right wing broken and frayed on the left wing.
- Northern White-Faced Owl: feet were filthy with excrement with a moist, swollen lesion at the top of one foot and it was warm to the touch. Barely any tail left due to trauma and contamination.
- Tropical Screech Owl: significant damage to tail and wings appeared clipped to prevent flight.
- Little Owl: feet and tail feathers were grossly contaminated and dirty. Anklets which were too large and heavy for this bird were removed to prevent further suffering.
- Northern Hawk Owl: primary wings frayed, feet filthy and heavy faecal build-up was dangling from its tail.
- Red Footed Falcon: wing slightly tattered, primary feathers frayed, tail feathers badly damaged, legs attached to filthy anklets, jesses and leash which were caked in faeces. Its beak was dirty due to no water or clean surface to rub it against.
- Pygmy Falcon: feet completely caked in dried faeces to the point talons were not visible, tail and wings significantly damaged and beak had heavy build up.
- Indian Scops Owl 1: lower beak was long and needed coping, feet and jesses were grossly contaminated with faecal material and had solidified around the talons. Tail feathers and tips of wings were badly frayed.
- Indian Scops Owl 2: feet and anklets were heavily contaminated with faeces caked over talons. Primary wing feathers and tail were damaged.
- Two Barn Owls: tethered together within a small carrier by thick, twisted solid leashes. Both had significantly dirty wing tips which were frayed and anklets contaminated by faecal matter.
- American Kestrel 1: foot was missing, talons were caked in faeces and tail feathers severely damaged and dirty.
- American Kestrel 2: tail and wings embedded with dirt and heavily contaminated with faecal matter, tail tip was virtually destroyed and its upper beak was overlong.
- American Kestrel 3: tail was badly disrupted and covered in faeces, talons and beak long and its feet were filthy.
- Another Two Barn Owls: long upper beak, dirty feet, with wing and tail tips badly damaged and contaminated.
- Red-Tailed Hawk: carrier was infested with maggots and beetles, its feet were so badly contaminated with faeces that it wasn’t possible to visualise or assess condition.
- Harris’s Hawk: rope leash attached to its leg was trapped in the carrier door, it had a severe constriction lesion on its leg which was open and exposing the soft tissue.
Many of the birds have gone onto wonderful homes across Scotland, ranging from The Edinburgh Zoo to the Owl Centre.
To report any act of cruelty, visit our website here.
