In controversial scenes, a woman tests her cat for car stings by making it drink tea. After a while, the cat lay on the ground purring and writhing until it “died.”
Social media users, including public figures, quickly took to social media to express their outrage over the potential abuse of the cat.
These concerns are now casting a shadow over a drama that was touted as one of the biggest Thai dramas of the year.
“The Empress of Ayodhya” is a story of royal tensions during the Ayutthaya period, inspired by the story of a 16th-century Siamese queen.
Thai TV channel One31 and the show’s director Sant Srikaenlaw said the cat was placed under anesthesia under expert supervision. Sant added that the cat had regained consciousness and promised to take it for a health check-up.
The production team also posted photos and videos of the cat, proving that the cat is safe and healthy.
This did little to quell public anger.
The Thai Veterinary Association, which warned of the dangers of animal sedatives, said it would take appropriate action in response to this incident. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Animal Husbandry Ministry said it had launched an investigation into allegations of animal cruelty, adding that it had requested tests to ensure the cats had not been harmed.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) issued a statement Monday calling the practice of anesthetizing cats for entertainment “reckless, dangerous and cruel.”
“The public is understandably outraged, especially knowing that today anything is possible with CGI, AI and animatronics,” the statement said. “If you can’t make a TV show without putting animal lives at risk, you’re in bad business.”
