PUBLISHED ONDecember 08, 2025 10:32 PMBYEsther LamAnimal welfare group Animal Lovers League (ALL) has lost its tenancy at The Animal Lodge (TAL) in Sungei Tengah after being embroiled in allegations of neglect and unpaid arrears of rent.
TAL, managed by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) under NParks, is a facility that supports animal welfare groups and independent shelters, amongst others.
ALL had been a tenant at TAL since March 2018, occupying 10 units and housing more than 200 animals.
In a statement on Monday (Dec 8), AVS director Trisha Eng said the agency had received multiple reports from volunteers regarding concerns about the health and welfare of animals under ALL's care since December 2024.
"AVS has been monitoring the situation closely through regular inspections, which found the management of the units occupied by ALL to be poor, and the welfare of the animals progressively deteriorating over time," said Eng.
"During the inspections, AVS observed that the sick animals had not received prompt and adequate veterinary attention, with multiple animals identified as clinically unwell and requiring immediate veterinary assessment. 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," Eng added.
Noting ALL's intention to continue caring for the animals, AVS stated that it had adopted a measured approach as compared to a sudden eviction to prevent further compromising the well-being of the animals.
AVS also said it had engaged ALL on multiple occasions in person with instructions to immediately rectify the issues following inspections. However, there was little to no progress.
As of Dec 3, AVS stated that it had issued seven advisories and two directives to ALL. At least three of these, on May 22, July 3 and July 11, called for ALL to address "serious concerns" involving the animals' housing and environment.
AVS said it also continued to follow up closely with further regular site inspections on the status of the animals.
On Aug 20, ALL surrendered and transferred 15 animals that required immediate veterinary attention to the care of AVS. Some of the animals have recovered or are in stabilised conditions and have since been taken in by caregivers.
The remaining animals in ALL's units continue to be monitored by AVS through regular inspections and engagements.
Eng said that ALL's tenancy ended in December 2024 and AVS only renewed eight out of the 10 units until Aug 5. But the units have yet to be returned. ALL is required to return the units to AVS as soon as possible, said the agency.
Eng said: "Over the years, AVS has been engaging ALL on multiple occasions and had extended various forms of support to help ALL including giving them more time to pay their rental arrears via an instalment plan."
Eng added that the health and welfare of the animals at ALL remains the top priority.
"Unfortunately, the gaps were not resolved and worsened in the past year, putting the welfare of the animals at risk... Based on this consideration, as well as ALL's poor management which resulted in animal welfare concerns and rental arrears, the decision was made not to renew the tenancies of ALL's units at The Animal Lodge when they expired on Aug 5."
Eng added that AVS is now working closely with the various animal welfare groups and individuals to develop a long-term plan for the care and rehoming of ALL's animals to ensure their health and welfare.
"Various animal welfare groups have expressed interest in taking on the animals to care for them, and discussions are still ongoing," said Eng.
AsiaOne has reached out to ALL for comment.
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