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A popular Thai drama is being investigated for animal cruelty after a cat was put to sleep to show it was “dead” on the show.

Mae YuaOr The Empress of Ayodhayafollows Jinda as she competes with the king’s three foreign concubines to become queen consort, according to the series synopsis.

In the fifth episode, a black cat called Samli is forced to drink a female character’s tea to see if it has been enriched. Moments later, the cat suffers convulsions and “dies”.

The scene sparked immediate backlash from animal rights groups and viewers who demanded to know what was done to the cat and demanded the show be suspended until an investigation is carried out and that the safety and health of the cat are guaranteed.

Television station One31 said in a statement that the cat was given a sedative for the scene and that its owner was present. The sedation was carried out under the supervision of experts from an animal modeling agency, according to The Bangkok Post.

The director of the show, Sant Srikaenlaw released a statement on Facebook apologizing for the scene. “I am deeply sorry for causing such an incident that has affected the feelings of all viewers, animal lovers, organizations and individuals. I would like to humbly accept and thank you for all the comments that have helped me learn, review and reflect on the welfare of using animals in filming,” he said.

“This incident taught me to be aware of my responsibilities and the possible impacts of my work. I’ll be careful that something like this doesn’t happen again. From now on, I am happy to cooperate in every investigation that takes place to ensure clarity, transparency and accuracy in every process in a straightforward manner. I would like to sincerely apologize here.

In a previous post, the director shared photos of the cat to show that it was safe and conscious. He said he would do it himself for a checkup, according to The Bangkok Post.

None of this did anything to appease viewers or animal rights organizations.

“It’s like stabbing a real human for a show and then saying we rushed him to the emergency room and he’s fine,” one viewer said on X, according to South China Morning Post.

Another called for the show not to be broadcast and for the channel to be closed until the investigation is complete.

Bunyakrit Pinprasong, deputy director of the Department of Livestock, said Monday that he had asked the channel for clarification as well as the names of the experts who supervised the scene.

The network was also asked to bring in the cat this week so the department could conduct a thorough review.

The Veterinary Council of Thailand, which warned that sedation for unnecessary reasons could harm the animal’s life, said it would take appropriate action.

The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, in a statement on social media, condemned the scene and called for the director to be banned from working with animals in the future.

“Anesthetizing a cat when medically necessary always carries a risk, so doing it for a TV show scene is reckless, dangerous and cruel. Sant Srikaewlaw should be prohibited from working with animals again,” the statement said.

“The public is rightly outraged, especially since today anything is possible with CGI, AI and animatronics. Cruelty has no place in entertainment. If you can’t make a television show without risking the lives of animals, you’re doing it wrong.”