Finally, FINALLY, a formal and unbiased inspection carried out at Catwalk Pets and the dirty truth revealed... 

Before we get to the details, we note that an inspection did take place after complaints in January 2020 by a Redbridge Council officer, Rizwan Oomerjee. This report however didn’t show any real reason for concern, was vague, reads like a tick-box exercise and skirts the truth. Perhaps this is how it has always been and how Catwalk have gotten away with so much for so long and had a 5* license until 2020. Redbridge Council failed to properly inspect and issue licenses and ratings appropriately. 

Thankfully in June 2020 an unannounced inspection was carried out by a City of London Veterinary Officer and Senior Animal Health Inspector, accompanied by the same Redbridge Council officer from the January inspection. They showed him how an inspection is really done.  

A FOI request to Redbridge Council forced them to share the 70 page document detailing serious failings of Catwalk Pets and staff, and the reasons for their pet shop license being dropped to the lowest possible rating of 1*. 

View the full July report (PDF)

The damning highlights:

• Ex-Breeding dogs at “the end of their use” were being supplied to Catwalk Pets from an Irish puppy farm. The dogs were delivered to the shop by Daniel McKay with health issues requiring veterinary attention and no microchips or history. 
• Mr Azhar Iqbal told the inspecting officers that the origin of these dogs was “not relevant”.
• The dogs were not exhibiting normal behaviour but rather avoidance, stress and fear of humans. No employees of Catwalk were qualified to deal with the rehabilitation or health issues of these dogs. Mr Iqbal wasn’t aware of basic requirements set out by DEFRA.
• Dogs not exercised. 
• Dogs left overnight and not checked.
• Dogs sold with health issues not addressed.
• Soiled animal cages and kennels with broken floors. Mr Iqbal said they were no longer in use. 
• No records of animals kept or feeding schedules.
• Guinea pigs had nowhere to hide as required.
• Turtles incorrectly kept in a tropical fish tank with no UVB light. Catwalk are not licensed to sell reptiles. Mr Iqbal said the turtles “come under ‘fish’”.
• All fish tanks water quality poor, cloudy and high in ammonia. Insufficient water testing and Mr Iqbal refused to use one of the water test kits on the stock shelf. 
• No basic fish husbandry knowledge, not even that tap water needs testing for nitrate.

So basically Catwalk Pets aren’t qualified or knowledgable enough to care for a goldfish, let alone ex-breeding dogs.

Shazia Dar, licensee of Catwalk Pets, still has a breeding license issued for her home address by Redbridge Council, and Catwalk’s pet shop license is up for renewal in March 2021. Something tells us they’re not going to get away with shenanigans now City of London animal welfare officers are involved. Let’s hope Redbridge Council do the right thing and don’t renew the license at all.