Inspection finds 33 registered cats missing from Radviliškis animal shelter

The State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) has found that none of the 33 cats registered at the Radviliškis animal shelter “Radviliškio beglobiai” are currently present at the facility, despite official records indicating they should be there, LRT reports.

During the inspection, the shelter’s management could not provide information on the whereabouts of the registered animals. According to Daiva Kazlauskienė, head of the VMVT Šiauliai Regional Supervision Division, the shelter claimed the cats had escaped in the summer of 2025. However, registration data shows that some cats were still being recorded as admitted to the shelter in 2026.

“This suggests that animals were being accepted but proper care and accounting were not ensured. The shelter operator failed to provide justified data on the animals’ current location, and there is no evidence that any steps were taken to search for them. This raises serious concerns about responsibility for the welfare of the sheltered animals,” Kazlauskienė stated.

The inspection also revealed that the shelter had not reported ongoing reconstruction work, which may have compromised safe keeping conditions for the animals. Additionally, the facility lacked proper accounting documents, transfer agreements, and health assessments for the animals.

Other violations included failure to ensure quarantine, lack of a separate space for sick animals, improper storage of feed, inadequate protection against animal escapes, and poor management of euthanasia records. Two dogs of questionable origin from Georgia were also found on the premises. One was registered under another person’s name, while the other was not registered at all.

The VMVT has initiated administrative proceedings and is considering potential measures, including the possible suspension of the shelter’s operations. The investigation is ongoing.