When it opened its doors at LaLaport BBCC, Japanese pet store Coo&Riku had many cat lovers flocking to their store – but now, netizens are slamming them for being negligent towards their cats and housing them in terrible conditions.
Twitter account Stray Free Foundation brought up the allegations in a tweet which included several photos from a follower. The tweet claims that eight cats from the pet store live in a cramped glass cage while in unhealthy conditions. According to the Twitter user, the cats even experience illnesses but are not quarantined from the others. The tweet also slams the Coo&Riku employees for allowing the animals to live in such terrible conditions.
In the images provided by the follower, the cats looked sickly and had slept in their soiled litter boxes. One of the images also shows poop on the floor of the cage, next to several bowls of cat food. The Twitter account also urged its followers to lodge a report on the pet store to the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia (DVS).
Netizens have reacted to the tweet, expressing shock over the poor living conditions of the cats. Some previous visitors also noted that the store’s condition is terrible and that a foul odour is present, even from outside the store. A few have said the cats at the store look stressed and malnourished. A tweet from a user also claimed that the store is selling the cats at high prices, going up to RM50,000.
However, a Twitter user, believed to be an employee or affiliated with Coo&Riku, defended the store from the allegations. She denied the staff members were abusing the cats and said the poor living conditions were due to overcrowding.
Coo&Riku Malaysia has not publicly addressed the allegations yet, but in a direct message regarding the claims, the pet store explained that the dirty cage was due to a one-time incident with one of the cats. The store said the cat had experienced diarrhoea due to stress from a new environment but was monitored by the staff. They also said they will release a statement about the matter through their social media pages soon.
For those curious, Coo&Riku have also faced similar allegations of pet abuse in Japan – but what do you think about the claims? Do you think they’re true? Or is there another side to the story?
UPDATE (15th November, Wednesday):
Coo&Riku have released a statement via their Instagram page to address the allegation of animal mistreatment at their store. In the post, the store addressed the three major issues brought up by netizens and the original Twitter post. They first touched on the issue of the cat that many have claimed to look raggedy and in pain. According to the store, the cat in question is a Russian Flat Face, which is born with a short nose that causes their eyes to get teary. Coo&Riku denies the allegations that the cat was stressed out due to mistreatment from staff.
The store also addressed the issue of the cats living in unhygienic cages caused by soiled litter. As previously explained by a Twitter user, cats would suffer health issues like diarrhoea when in unfamiliar spaces, which had happened to one of the kittens in their care, but the cat has since recovered. Coo&Riku explain that all their cats have been vaccinated and that the store hires employees to keep the cages and surrounding area clean at all times. Coo&Riku also urges the public to not make assumptions about the store but they will continue to improve following suggestions and advice from the public.
Below is the full statement from Coo&Riku:
Sources: Twitter (1)(2)(3), Reddit, Instagram, Coo&Riku Japan
