The state’s veterinary services department director, Saira Banu Rejab, said they questioned the shelter’s owner after failing to find any carcasses in the orange bin despite inspecting the site the same day they received a report.

“When we contacted the complainant, they claimed that 10 cat carcasses had gone missing and could not be located after they returned from lodging a police report on Feb 5,” Sinar Harian quoted her as saying.

“However, after questioning the SPCA owner, they admitted that the cats inside the plastic bags were already dead and were disposed of due to a lack of a designated burial or cremation sites.”

Photographs and a video of the incident recently surfaced online and a police report was lodged by a man who alleged that he had discovered the carcasses of cats in a black plastic bag dumped in a bin by an employee of the shelter on Wednesday evening.

Saira Banu said that further inspections at the SPCA premises found no evidence of animal cruelty or improper treatment.

“Further monitoring yesterday also did not uncover any animal carcasses,” she said.

While the cause of death cannot be determined due to the lack of carcasses, she said the department would continue its investigation.

Saira Banu also reminded the SPCA management to handle deceased animals properly.

“We take this matter seriously and have issued a reminder to the SPCA management,” she said.

It was not stated in the report whether Penang SPCA would be charged over the incident.