An animal welfare organisation has accused authorities of failing to act promptly on abuse and neglect allegations at a veterinary clinic in Damansara Damai, where at least two animals were found dead, sparking public outcry and calls for urgent enforcement.
The Organisation for the Preservation of National Heritage Malaysia (Peka) today called on the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and the Malaysian Veterinary Council to immediately suspend the vet involved, saying months of complaints and reports have been met with inaction.
Speaking during a press conference at Messrs Raj & Sach’s office today, Peka president Rajesh Nagarajan said the authorities’ delay in taking action was unacceptable.
According to Rajesh, authorities must charge the clinic owner immediately without using investigations or procedures as excuses for further delays.
“My question is, almost 2,000 reports (on this case) were lodged to DVS, but what action did it take?
“Why has this ‘doctor’ not been charged in court? Is it because she was a retired DVS employee? The evidence is crystal clear, but DVS is doing nothing,” he said at a press conference today.
Also present was Peka treasurer Shima Aris and Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) president S Shashi Kumar.
Rajesh then called on the Malaysian Veterinary Council to suspend the veterinarian’s licence pending the outcome of investigations to prevent further harm.
The controversy erupted after a video of animals neglected in the clinic, showing the carcasses of a dog and a cat, went viral.
Filthy cages, no food and water
Meanwhile, Shima said when she visited the clinic on Dec 16, she found unhygienic conditions, with animals kept in filthy cages without food or water, expired medicines scattered on the premises, and the bodies of animals left inside.
“You don’t even have to go inside. From outside, you can already see how dirty it is - litter boxes, faeces, and medicine scattered everywhere.
“When I turned to the right, I saw the carcass of a dog, and on top of it, there was a cat.
“The dog was inside a cage with its hand sticking out, clearly indicating that it was trying to break out due to hunger,” Shima said.
Shima also questioned why enforcement action was not taken earlier, pointing out that two police reports had already been lodged on Dec 13 and Dec 15, and over 2,000 reports had been made to DVS regarding the case.
She said that the authorities’ intervention appeared to happen only after the issue gained public attention, leaving her deeply frustrated with the apparent delay.
“Two police reports were already made before I came. Why was no action taken earlier?”
“We don’t know when exactly they died, but if action had been taken earlier, maybe more animals could have been saved.
“Why must we wait until I come, take pictures, and until it goes viral with nearly 2,000 DVS reports, only then action is taken?” she said.
Animals suffered alleged abuse
Adding to the allegations, a former employee of the clinic, who wished to only be known as Ella, claimed the veterinarian had mistreated the animals in the clinic’s care.
The former staff alleged that the veterinarian mishandled animals during treatment, failed to follow proper surgical procedures, and instead resorted to unverified herbal “traditional medicines”.
She also alleged that the veterinarian had physically abused animals during treatment, claiming that on one occasion, while the veterinarian was operating on a cat, the animal was mishandled.
“I don’t know what happened before that, but what I know is the doctor grabbed the cat, kicked the cat, and stepped on the cat.
“I told the doctor, ‘You cannot do this, this cat has an owner’.
“She then told me to shut up, saying that ‘I’m the doctor here, not you’,” Ella said.
Separately, the owner of one of the two deceased animals found in the clinic, Jessie Lee, said that she had placed her dog, Pumpkin, at the clinic because her apartment did not allow pets and was told that the clinic would help rehome Pumpkin.
However, Lee received a message from the vet on Dec 12, informing her that Pumpkin had died and had already been buried by the clinic staff.
‘Nothing new, systemic issue’
On that note, Shashi said the case reflects a broader systemic problem, highlighting recent animal abuse issues such as dog culling in Universiti Putra Malaysia.
“What is happening now in Malaysia is not something new. These things happen frequently because the police and DVS are slow in taking action.
“Until there is a clear policy on the action that must be taken by DVS and police, this problem will continue.
“Until the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which is already 10 years old, is amended, we are going to have this problem forever,” he said. - Mkini
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