A dog from the SSPCA shelter in high flood waters. — Screengrab from social media video
KUCHING (March 18): The massive flooding which hit the Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) animal shelter in Kota Sentosa has raised questions on what happened to the plans for its Animal Village.
This question was raised in SSPCA’s Facebook post on the flood this morning.
In response, SSPCA said it had received the title for a two-acre land at the end of 2019, after waiting for almost 10 years, and had submitted design drawings in 2020. However, it was slowed down by the pandemic as the relevant authorities only worked three-day weeks during the Movement Control Order.
“We have received consent from Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian to go ahead with ‘early commencement’ on the new site. This means even though we have not gotten full approval for the design drawings, we were allowed to start with the signed promise to build as per the drawings submitted and according to the building by-laws,” said the SSPCA.
According to the post, the water levels reached the SSPCA staff’s collarbones and two casualties were reported, one old dog and an eight-month-old puppy.
SSPCA is also urging the public to come by the shelter to help clean the place from 9am to 4pm tomorrow.
Last December, SSPCA held its annual Christmas Charity Bazaar to raise funds to build the Animal Village as the cost of building materials has sky-rocketed over the last two years.