Is the one who keeps an animal and does not care for it until it dies sinful?

Question:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh, regarding keeping animals without caring for them: it happened to us that we had some birds for our son, and we went to Dammam and left them for a week. When we returned, we found that they had died.

Answer:
Yes, you have sinned in that, and a great sin is upon you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us by saying: "A woman entered the Fire because of a cat she had locked up; she neither fed it nor gave it drink, nor did she let it go to eat from the insects of the earth." So the one who keeps a bird or keeps any other living creature, he must care for it, and provide it with its needs of food and drink. Likewise for birds, and likewise for everything that is kept, for it is a protected soul, and it needs food and drink, so that must be provided for it. Otherwise, the severe warning applies to him. A woman entered Paradise because of a dog she gave water to; she found it panting, so she went down the well and drew out water in her shoe and gave it to drink, so Allah was pleased with that and admitted her to Paradise. And a woman entered the Fire because of a cat she locked up until it died; she neither fed it nor let it go to eat from the insects of the earth. Yes. May Allah reward you.