PUBLISHED ONDecember 10, 2025 3:58 AMBYKoh Xing YingCoordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam has urged the public to understand the challenges faced by animal welfare group Animal Lovers League (ALL).
This comes after ALL came under the public spotlight in recent days over allegations of neglect and unpaid rent arrears of more than four years at its no-kill shelter at The Animal Lodge (TAL) in Sungei Tengah. Some cases have reportedly resulted in the deaths of rescue animals.
ALL, a registered society since 2012 and a registered charity since 2015, is also being probed by the Commissioner of Charities. TAL is managed by the Animal and Veterinary Service under NParks, a statutory board under the Ministry of National Development.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Dec 9), Shanmugam, who is a dog-lover, said he has known ALL co-founder Mohan Div Sreedharan for more than a decade, and described the latter as "a kind, compassionate and humble person who goes the extra mile to help animals".
"There may be lapses along the way, matters could have been better managed. But Mohan's actions stem from good intentions. He should perhaps have sought help publicly, when his funds ran low. And been more realistic about what he and his team could do," said Shanmugam.
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 inspections found ALL's management of units at TAL to be poor, with "the welfare of animals progressively deteriorating over time", said Eng.
Sick animals did not receive prompt and adequate veterinary attention, with many of them found to require immediate vet assessment, she added.
In his Facebook post on Tuesday, Shanmugam noted that ALL takes in abandoned animals and strays that could be in a worse-off condition if left on the streets.
"Many of these animals are old and sick and very hard to care for or rehome. And these animals have a second chance at life because of Mohan's hard work," he wrote.
He added that it has not been easy for Mohan and ALL since Covid-19, with donations reduced and funds dwindling; most of the money went towards medical bills for the animals.
Noting that AVS' animal welfare concerns have to be addressed, Shanmugam added, "But I would ask people to also understand the challenges that Mohan and his team have faced before passing judgment."
"The focus now has to be on how we can all play a part in supporting animal welfare," he added.
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com
