Good intentions can't sustain a shelter: Volunteers at Animal Lovers League divided, some call for public to stop donating

Volunteers at the embattled no-kill shelter, Animal Lovers League (ALL), have come forward to share their experiences with the shelter and its founders.

One group, comprising of 15 long-term volunteers who first reported the issue to the Animals and Veterinary Service (AVS), refuted the founders' claims that the shelter's issues began with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rather, they are "longstanding systemic problems that date back to at least 2014, long before the pandemic", the volunteers said in a joint statement.

They also called for members of the public to stop donating to ALL.

But another group of volunteers spoke up to share their positive experiences at ALL and with its founders.

They pointed out that as a no-kill shelter, ALL has taken in countless abandoned and neglected animals, including the sick and injured.

The founders, Catherine Lee Sai Lang Strong and Mohan Div Sreedharan, have also offered personal advice to the volunteers and their own pets, they said.

Good intentions can't sustain a shelter: Volunteers

In a Dec. 10 statement, the 15 volunteers acknowledged that the founders may have started the shelter out of passion.

"However, good intentions alone cannot sustain a shelter, and passion cannot replace the fundamental care that these innocent animals desperately need," they said.

From their work on the ground, they shared experiences of medical neglect, poor living conditions, and blocked adoptions.

"Animals have died waiting for veterinary care that came too late or not at all. Dogs like Kiki, Toto, Chi Chi, Casper, and Ming passed away due to delayed medical treatment. One dog, Punggol, suffered from multiple bedsores for an extended period," they said.

Furthermore, despite the "overwhelming" situation, Lee and Mohan "persistently refused" to adopt out the animals, the volunteers said.

Only two dogs were successfully rehomed in 2025, and this was only after AVS started their investigations, they said.

"Volunteers have offered to help with rehoming effort but we were often rejected with no good reasons.

This has resulted in more deaths than adoptions at the shelter."

Stop donating to ALL: Volunteers

In light of the ongoing investigations, the same group of volunteers urged members of the public to "immediately cease making financial donations to Animal Lovers League".

Instead, they called for members of the public who wish to help to direct their donations to registered shelters that are assisting ALL in this time.

These include SOSD Singapore, Causes for Animals (CAS), and Noah’s Ark Cares.

The volunteers also called for a formal investigation by the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, which oversees charities in Singapore, into the "documented instances of financial and administrative mismanagement."

"We are ready and willing to work with authorities through all bureaucratic processes," they said.

They added that they also hope to be allowed to continue caring for the animals throughout this period of investigations.

"These animals did not choose to be here. They did not ask to be rescued only to suffer in different ways.

They deserve better, and together, as a community, we can give them better."

Not indifference, but empathy: Volunteers

Another group of volunteers reached out to Mothership to defend the founders and the shelter's no-kill philosophy.

One volunteer, Jay, who has been helping out at the shelter since 2018, said that he has witnessed Mohan's "unwavering kindness, love, and compassion for all the animals in his care".

Whenever owners abandon their pets at ALL, they are taken in and never turned away, he said.

Mohan has also "never given up" on his life's work, despite facing challenges such as rent, medical costs, and rising costs of food.

"The decision to operate as a no-kill shelter is not out of negligence or indifference, but rather from a place of deep empathy," he said.

Nandini, a volunteer since 2020, pointed out that ALL has never charged an adoption fee, unlike some other shelters in Singapore.

This is because "we stand by the principle that a life should never have a price tag", she said.

Personal experiences with pets

The volunteers also shared their personal experiences with Mohan and Lee, who they said gave them advice on their own pets.

Nandini said that she "would trust Mohan with my own pets without hesitation".

"When my own dog fell ill with elevated ALT levels and veterinarians could not determine the cause, it was Mohan who suggested supplements that ultimately supported her recovery," she said.

Her dog has since recovered and is healthy.

Another volunteer, Sumathi, recalled how she found two stray puppies and hoped to adopt them, but could not due to HDB rules.

"I visited multiple shelters around Pasir Ris, only to encounter long waiting lists, limited space, and fees that were difficult to manage," she said.

But ALL agreed to take in both puppies "without hesitation".

When one of the puppies fell ill, Mohan was present throughout the entire course of her medical care, Sumathi said.

The other dog remains with ALL till today — "safe, loved, and thriving".

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Top image from AVS and volunteers