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A non-governmental organisation (NGO) has accused a cat shelter in Gombak of animal cruelty, citing neglect, unsanitary conditions, and a high number of animal deaths
In an Instagram post last Saturday, 13 April, the Stray Free Foundation criticised the man behind a social media page, accusing him of misleading the public by presenting his organisation as a shelter.
Operating under the names 'Budakkucing2020freeadopt' on TikTok and 'Budak Kucing Free Adoption' on Facebook, the shelter operator is accused of charging RM80 per stray cat or unwanted pet as a "surrender fee", while promising to find them new homes.
According to the Stray Free Foundation, surrendered cats were "dumped into a filthy, makeshift structure, regardless of their health status".
"He only checks on the cats when he's free, typically every 2-3 days. In between, the cats were left completely unattended and starving.
"There have been multiple instances where surrendered cats were left inside carriers, fully exposed to sun and rain, without food or water. Nearly all of them — especially kittens —died," the NGO claimed.
An earlier post claimed that the shelter housed 36 cats, with at least half testing positive for parvovirus, a highly contagious animal virus.
Image via @stray.freefoundation (Instagram)
The man allegedly prioritised visually appealing cats, while neglecting the rest
The Stray Free Foundation claimed that dead cats were discarded in nearby bushes without being buried.
The shelter reportedly lacked basic hygiene, with no litter boxes provided, leaving the cats to urinate and defecate anywhere.
The NGO alleged that the motivation behind accepting animals appeared to be purely financial, claiming, "As long as he receives payment, he will continue accepting cats, regardless of space or condition, leading to more suffering and death."
Image via @stray.freefoundation (Instagram)
The Stray Free Foundation has since rescued all 36 cats housed at the shelter, and is currently seeking public donations to cover their medical fees
The NGO stated that the initial RM5,000 they managed to raise is insufficient to treat the cats, which have been sent to three different veterinary clinics.
The medical bills for six cats have amounted to RM3,907 at Dr Meow Vet in i-City, Shah Alam.
Speaking to SAYS, a representative from the NGO said the organisation met the shelter operator on 11 April and reports have been filed with the Veterinary Services Department (DVS).
"So far, no action has been taken," said the representative.
In a brief response to SAYS, DVS confirmed it has received complaints regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, when SAYS reached out to the shelter on WhatsApp, we received an automated response denying responsibility for the animal cruelty allegations
The message starts off by apologising for being unable to receive any surrendered cats because the facility has been infected with parvovirus.
It goes on to say a vet has advised that the shelter be closed to prevent the spread of the virus.
"What happened was not my fault.
"I was not at the location for a few days because I was accompanying my wife, who was giving birth. And after that, I rushed home to take care of my OKU stepchild.
"That's why I hired a part-time caretaker. I apologise for what happened because the caretaker failed to take care of the parvovirus, which led to the infection," read the rest of the message.
When pressed further, the man sent a voice note, in which he reiterated that the incident was not his fault, attributing the death of cats at his facility to parvovirus.
"There was no torture (animal cruelty) involved. Parvovirus can spread very quickly, and sometimes there are no symptoms.
"I was told that the parvovirus came from the soil, and I am unsure how the cats were infected," he said, adding that lacks the funds to treat the cats, as medical fees for a cat infected with the virus can reach up to RM2,000.
