On the 21st of December, the Facebook page of Animal Welfare Malta has put up this post:
Dear Labour government, to put an end to this crisis and be the voice of those beautiful souls whom ALL OF US, INCLUDING YOU IN PARLIAMENT, have the moral and legal duty to protect, it must first come from you!
First, education is the key. Educating the public about the neglect, abuse, and abandonment of a voiceless soul who is at our mercy is a must! Adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment, until that dog’s final breath. So, whatever the circumstances, unless it is a health reason, where a sick owner is uncapable of taking care of his/her dog, the dog is to stay. I am tired of seeing all kinds of excuses for putting up a dog for adoption, with some of them being senior dogs, that is, are eight or ten years old.
I am aware that the Great Economic Reset with this tremendously high cost of living is not helping. I am aware that vet bills do not help. But why is it that the dog must go? Why has their fate to be decided?
Second, can the government intervene with all these landlords prohibiting pets in their rented property?
Thirdly, why isn’t the chipping of dogs enforced so that all dogs thrown out on the street are traced back to their owners?
Fourthly, why isn’t anything being done about breeding, especially the breeding of bully breeds, with which the Animal Welfare Shelter is full? The British government has announced the legal ban on XL bully breeds, which will come into force on December 31st. Is the Labour government going to turn into a government that would have done something about the welfare of animals throughout Maltese history, or is it going to sit on its back for ‘fear’ of losing votes? It is the government’s duty to see to the welfare of animals, considering it was given the power even by animal lovers to amend and enforce laws!
The fifth would be: what is being done with all those who are caught neglecting and abusing their pets? Are they being dragged to court? If yes, are they being fined and imprisoned or being given an educational, community work to do so to learn and rise from their dark, heartless pit? Or is nothing being done?
How is the government making sure that souls like Tina, the dog featured in the above post, are also protected from deranged hearts?
The sixth would be, when is the government going to provide a clinic where clinic fees and pets’ medical treatments are affordable, especially for pet owners on a lower economic scale? This site has already advised this in another piece, which might also help the same government generate funds for its own animal welfare shelter needs. Here is a comment that is also stating this need:
Here are some good comments that the above Animal Welfare post has received:
I find no issue with the government asking for help from the public to adopt and foster dogs, but this is not a long-term solution. Instead, it is a vicious circle, as long as abandonment is repeated. Who knows how many dogs are out there on roofs, enclosed in yards, and garages? Who knows how many dogs are out there with no human company and affection, when they should be, because they do have an owner? Who knows how many are maltreated, neglected, and abused? And yet, they cannot speak and cannot complain.
Minister Anton Refalo, when are you going to wake up and do something to truly improve the welfare of animals in Malta?
