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nimal Defenders Indonesia, a prominent animal organization in Jakarta, has taken in hundreds of dogs and cats in its shelter in Ciledug, South Tangerang, since its establishment in 2011, making it a lifeline for stranded and stray canines and felines in the capital.

However, the organization is currently mired in controversies after a number of animal activists leveled accusations against one of its co-founders.

Singer and television personality Melanie Subono along with other animal activists plan to report Animal Defender co-founder Doni Herdaru Tona for allegedly embezzling donations and abusing both foster dogs and employees of the organization.

“We will report Doni for civil and criminal cases. I have gathered a number of [witnesses] and evidence on 400 cases,” said Melanie, who filed the police report on Tuesday.

She conceded that she used to hold Doni and Animal Defenders in high regard.

“[However], I no longer believe in him and the organization, not since my dog was placed under his care almost a year ago,” Melani said.

“He has been avoiding me for eight months, giving me various excuses when I kept asking about my dog, Nina.”

Melanie left her dogs at the Animal Defenders shelter in May last year, but while four of them were returned in September, Nina was missing.

She discovered last Tuesday that Nina had died from injuries sustained in a fight with another shelter dog.

“I got the news from a former Animal Defenders kennel boy, who had resigned from the organization after being physically assaulted several times,” Melanie said, adding that Doni has allegedly attacked a number of employees.

Following Melanie’s statements, other animal owners and activists took to social media to share similar stories of pets that had gone missing under the care of Animal Defenders.

One animal activist, who asked for anonymity, told The Jakarta Post that he used to be an active member of the organization, both as a rescuer and a donor.

However, he recently decided to stop working with Animal Defenders after discovering that the shelter never revealed its financial reports to donors.

“Moreover, I knew something was wrong after people I knew started quitting,” he said.

Doni took to Instagram to defend himself, saying he decided not to tell Melanie about her dog’s death because she was facing family and health issues at the time, and he did not want to burden her.

However, Doni declined to comment on the string of other accusations, including those involving abuse.

Separately, Animal Defenders Indonesia corporate secretary Victor Lapian questioned the allegations of animal abuse made Melanie and other pet owners.

“We need to look at the definition of abuse. Abuse and dog [training] corrections are different,” he told the Post.

He assured that Animal Defenders will take serious measures against anyone caught physically harming its animals and employees.