Olhuhiyaa Cat Shelter Officially Handed Over to Animal Welfare Ministry

The Male’ City Council has officially transferred the Olhuhiyaa cat shelter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare, finalising the handover process.

Olhuhiyaa was established by the government to provide care for stray cats in Male’ City. The facility, located on a 5,000-square-foot plot in Hulhumale’, was inaugurated in November 2024 by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Developed as a state-of-the-art pet care centre, it includes a quarantine area, a veterinary clinic, a laboratory, a pharmacy stocked with medicines for cats, and designated living spaces for animals.

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އޮޅުހިޔާ ފެސިލިޓީގެ ރަސްމީ ހުރިހާ ލިޔެކިއުންތަކާއި ލީގަލް އެސެޓްސް ޓްރާންސްފަރ ގެ މަސައްކަތް ނިމުމަށް ފަހު @MaleCitymv އިން މި ވުޒާރާ އާއި ވަނީ ފެސިލިޓީ ރަސްމީކޮށް މިއަދު ހަވާލު ކޮށްފަ pic.twitter.com/NQyucpaWXI— Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare (@MAAWmv) February 26, 2025

The shelter’s development was initiated by the Animal Welfare Ministry and contracted to the Male’ City Council. However, in December 2024, the Ministry requested the handover, citing the Council’s failure to meet its contractual obligations.

The transfer has now been completed, with all official documents and legal assets formally handed over. The agreement was signed by Male’ City Council’s Secretary General Ibrahim Rasheed and State Minister for Agriculture and Animal Welfare Ali Safwan Ibrahim.

The Ministry has stated that preparations are underway to commence operations at the shelter as soon as possible.