Govt looking into Animal Lovers League following breach of Charity Act

The Commissioner of Charities (COC) is looking into the governance and administration of the Animal Lovers League (ALL), a no-kill animal shelter.

The shelter is a registered charity in Singapore and regularly solicits funds from the public.

In a Dec. 9 statement, COC said that the investigation follows feedback received, as well as the shelter's non-compliance with the Charity Act.

"The COC’s office understands that AVS is working to ensure that the animals under ALL’s care continue to be looked after during this period," it said in response to Mothership's queries.

Neglect, deaths, & S$500,000 in owed rent

For years, the shelter has faced a slew of issues, including the gross neglect of the approximately 200 animals in its care.

Volunteers reported that the owners, Cathy and Mohan, persistently failed to get the animals adopted, frequently refusing adoption requests.

They also failed to seek timely veterinary care for sick animals, resulting in more deaths than adoptions.

Expired medication was also frequently used.

On Dec. 8, AVS announced that it had decided not to renew ALL's tenancy at its current space at The Animal Lodge.

This was in the light of the shelter's "poor" management and the "progressively deteriorating" animal welfare.

AVS said:

"Many animals also showed signs of fear, anxiety, and stress, as well as insufficient provision of daily essential resources such as feeding and watering points and litter boxes."

Photos viewed by Mothership showed filthy conditions, including animal faeces and signs of rat infestations.

AVS also noted that the shelter owes them around 53 months' in unpaid rent. Volunteers at the shelter say that this adds up to over S$500,000.

Financial problems

Despite raising funds from the public, the volunteers said they are the ones who pay for the majority of the animals' needs.

They pay for vet fees, the animals' food, and even the staff wages, said one volunteer, who gave her name as Huang.

Another volunteer, who helps run the cattery programme, said:

"The whole programme is funded by us [volunteers]."

They also pointed out that ALL has accumulated large debts at numerous vet clinics in Singapore, totalling around S$300,000.

As a result, they often struggle to get medical treatment for the animals unless they pay for it out of their own pockets.

Which more often than not, they do.

"[Among] the volunteers here, everybody has spent their own money on the animals," one long-time volunteer, Susan, told Mothership.

Moving forward

Following the lease's expiry as of Aug. 5, ALL is required to hand over the units to AVS as soon as possible.

AVS will then work with animal welfare groups and individuals to rehome the animals residing in the shelter.

So far, the shelter has surrendered 15 animals that required immediate veterinary care to AVS, some of which have since recovered.

The authorities are continuing to monitor the other animals' welfare through regular inspections and engagement with the shelter and its owners.

Related story

Top image from Huang and  AVS