By Adeline Leong

Copyright therakyatpost

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Animal or pet cafes can be a unique experience if done right. However, a pet cafe featuring an alpaca in Melaka has been slammed by many after a video of the lonely alpaca went viral.

Based on several other videos online, the cafe has other animals such as goats, geese, cats, and rabbits, seemingly kept in filthy living conditions inside the two-storey premises.

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The animals had to walk on their own excrement and breathe the foul air. According to reports compiled by the Stray Free Foundation, visitors who had been to the cafe reported the bad urine smell and excrement staining the walls. It’s a wonder how anyone could dine inside at all.

The visitors added that the animals were kept in enclosures that were too small. What was worrying was seeing the alpaca chew on the green mat probably because it thought it was real grass.

@sydhndrh Replying to @sham0ji okay i post je sini . sbb i tak sanggup jugak tengok haiwan haiwan ni di aniya mcm ni . 🥹🥹#alpacasoftiktok #fyp ♬ Sad song by piano and violin(886018) – NOVA

Another visitor claimed to see a mother cat trying to nurse her kittens but there were other people trying to play with them.

The horrifying scenes made many people worry about the welfare and well-being of the animals in the shop.

The authorities are taking action

Once the issue caught the attention of the Melaka City Council (MBMB), the pet cafe was ordered to close for seven days for cleaning up works.

Mayor of Melaka Datuk Shadan Othman said a compound of up to RM10,250 has also been issued to the Singaporean owner, which is RM10,000 under the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment 2001 and RM250 for violating the Food Establishment By-law (MBMB) 2020.

Shadan added that keeping an alpaca in the store violated the food safety and hygiene guidelines.

He further shared that the cafe’s first floor was turned into a mini zoo without permission from the authorities. The mini zoo serves as a free attraction for cafe customers.

Shadan said the concept is interesting but it went against the rules and affects animal rights.

Deputy Exco for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Communication, Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy, who visited the cafe with Shadan, said placing animals within a food business premises, even if they’re separated by walls and doors, aren’t allowed.

However, he shared that there are no clear answers between the Department of Veterinary Services and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) regarding the permit and suitability of the location for the alpaca.

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