Malaysian man allegedly drowns 3 cats in washing machine

[UPDATE: 15 July]

DVS enforcement officers detained the suspect on July 12, the department said in a statement on July 14.

The man will be remanded for four days, until Thursday (July 16), to facilitate investigations.

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Malaysian authorities are on the prowl for a cat killer accused of drowning three stray cats.

The suspect, a man who appeared to be in his 30s, allegedly killed the cats by placing them into a washing machine in a laundromat in Kepong, Harian Metro reported.

A customer discovered the cat carcasses on July 12 at about 9am when she opened the washing machine door, Malaysian Animal Association president Arie Dwi Andika told the Malay daily, adding that the cats were believed to have drowned.

The animal advocacy group also shared chilling footage of the incident unfolding at 5.30am that morning.

The alleged culprit was shown picking up two cats, putting them into the washing machine and shutting the door.

According to Arie, the woman who found the carcasses reported the incident to the police the same day.

The cat carcasses were also sent to the Malaysian Department of Veterinary Services' (DVS) forensic lab for further investigation.

"We urge the case to be opened under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, as it is a serious case. We hope DVS can take immediate action," Arie said.

Under the Act, those found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to RM100,000 (S$32,593), jailed for up to three years, or both.

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The hunt for the culprit is still underway — an update on the association's Facebook on July 13 said that "all the animal lovers in the country" are waiting for the authorities to take action although no arrests have been made.

What's worse is that this is not the first time a cat was cruelly killed in a similar fashion.

In September 2018, a pregnant cat died after being placed in a dryer at a laundromat in Gombak.

One of the perpetrators, K. Ganesh, was fined RM40,000 and sentenced to 34 months in jail, while the other, A. Mohanraj, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

A third suspect, SS Satthiya, was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com