The carnage and pitiful sight of the animals boarded at Pet Hotel from Hell has stunned Malaysians and animal welfarists with the indifference, insensitivity, abject neglect of a moral and legal responsibility towards 300 animals.
The owners had to leave Kuala Lumpur for their hometowns during the Hari Raya Celebration to be with their families.
What was supposed to be a wonderful return to KL has turned into a nightmare where their pet cats that had been sent for boarding were malnourished, extremely dehydrated, and filthy.
It has been reported 13 cats have died. SPCA Selangor is appalled and shocked at the severity of the condition of the cats at Petknode in Damansara Damai and we strongly urge the Department of Veterinary Services and Police, yet again, that the owners/operators of this pet hotel be hit with the full force of the law, that is hardly used by the authorities to curtail and prosecute animal abusers.
SPCA Selangor urges that they be charged RM 200 per cat, which totals RM 60,000 and imprisonment for the full 6 months as stipulated in The Animal Act 1953 (amended 2006)Sec 44.
Undoubtedly these operators will give a host of excuses as to why they abdicated on their duty to care for the animals. SPCA Selangor maintains there is no excuse.
Whether it’s a scam or not, they have a legal and moral responsibility to the cats entrusted into their care and failure to do so will leave them open to be charged for cruelty to animals.
Sec 44 states that anyone “by wantonly or unreasonably doing or omitting to do any act, that causes unnecessary pain and suffering shall be guilty of an offence of cruelty”.
SPCA Selangor has the following to recommend:
1. That all pet owners to do a reasonable check on any boarding facility and meet the operators at their premises and ask how their pets will be cared for.
2. Get references from friends and other animal carers about the track record of the facility.
3. Get to know the operators well and call in regularly during your holidays and talk to the carers or ask friends, family or colleagues to drop by, if possible.
4. Ask friends to assist in boarding your pets, whenever possible.
5. That all pet shops and boarding facilities be approved by DVS either via licensing or general check on the background of the operators.
6. The operators undergo psychiatric treatment and be banned from animal businesses and from owning pets for life, unless the court has been satisfied by their rehabilitation.
CJMY
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