Thai drama sparks anger over cat being sedated to portray poisoning, incident under probe
The scene in Mae Yua, or The Empress of Ayodhaya, has led to accusations of animal cruelty and a probe by Thai authorities
A Thai period drama is facing investigation and boycott calls over suspected animal cruelty after a black cat was sedated to portray being poisoned in one of the episodes.
Mae Yua, or The Empress of Ayodhaya, starring actress Davika Hoorne and streaming on Channel One31 and Netflix, showed the feline drinking a solution from a serving platter and suffering convulsions before dying in a scene.
The clip, which appeared in the fifth segment, enraged animal rights groups and viewers who demanded the series be banned until the conclusion of an investigation by the department of livestock development into the incident.
The agency has instructed the broadcaster to hand over the cat to it for a detailed examination and explain how the anaesthetisation was carried out to determine if the procedure violated the Animal Cruelty Act.
As the backlash grew, Channel One31 apologised for making the audience “uncomfortable” and maintained its commitment to animal safety.
The company said in a social media post on Sunday that it hired a professional animal modelling firm with more than 10 years of experience to film the scene and the cat’s owner was present during the sedation process.
