animal rights
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This week, MaltaToday begins a series of features looking at the subject of animal welfare on the island and the legislation in the pipeline to improve it. In our first report, NADINE BRINCAT hears about the contribution being made to looking after and homing unwanted or abandoned animals by the SPCA

Making sure the necessary legislation is in place to clamp down on animal cruelty and then ensuring the laws are enforced.

This is what the SPCA hopes to see as Malta prepares to improve the legislative framework covering animal welfare and cruelty, according to its secretary, Mary Shepherd.

Although there is a considerable lack of documentation, the presence of the Society for the Protection and Care of Animal in Malta can be traced back 80 years.

At present, the SPCA has around 100 dogs, but only strictly has the capacity for about 50. Many of the animals living there were ill treated, abandoned, unwanted or strays.

Ms Shepherd explained that although many dogs can provide great company, others can never be adopted as they do not make suitable pets.

"Some are aggressive due to ill treatment, while others cannot live in homes because they are used to living on the street and may find it very difficult to adapt to such an environment," she said.

Ms Shepherd explained that the volunteers at the SPCA have seen some atrocious cases of abuse, beatings and terrible cruelty to animals.

Most notably she mentioned Bullets, a lovely dog which had been shot several times, JD, who was slashed from shoulder to shoulder and another dog found with its neck cut wide open.

"Sometimes people pretend that the dog they are bringing in is stray, even though it is clear that it is really their pet," she said. "We can tell by the way the dog knows and obeys them; dogs do not display such behaviour overnight - it takes time."

Ms Shepherd added that such people go to the SPCA to clear their conscience, knowing that the society will go to any lengths not to put down healthy dogs.

The animal lover stressed the importance of realising the responsibility involved in looking after a pet.

"Although some of the dogs look just like soft toys, one must bear in mind that they are not," she said. "Dogs require care, commitment and responsibility, and should therefore not be given as gifts, particularly if one is unsure as to how capable the owner is of caring for the dog."

The SPCA secretary also explained that the scarce resources at the centre are constantly being stretched, while staff are trying to work in very cramped conditions.

"We have a space problem," she admitted. "If we had three times the space we have at the moment, it would still not be enough."

Describing the current situation as Dickensian, Ms Shepherd explained that more space would allow the society to use the remaining empty cages to bathe and de-louse the animals as they arrive at the centre.

Monica Wiedersumm, newly-elected SPCA President, together with the new management set-up, is working very hard to improve the Society’s image, which was not always up to scratch.
Ms Wiedersumm explained that the SPCA has asked the government for a plot of land in Attard, where the Society can build a proper care centre, offering 24 hour care as well as a boarding centre.

Ms Shepherd stressed that the 24 hour care centre and the boarding centre could be used to subsidise the other operations at the centre.

"Then we would ideally have three or four inspectors to aid us in our work, so we are hoping that the commitment shown by the opposition and the talks with government authorities will materialise through this centre," Ms Shepherd added.

The centre receives between 10 and 20 stray dogs and cats every month, but would take more if the resources were there.

As Ms Shepherd pointed out: "If we were to have proper collection facilities, we would collect around 60 stray pets every week, but we only have one inspector."

She explained that the government only pays 12 cents for each stray animal per day.

"After seven days of keeping a stray pet, the government stops these funds," she said. "However, unless animals are too sick, or aggressive and unable to stay with the other dogs, we try to house them or keep them. Otherwise, we have to put them down as painlessly as possible. However, I can honestly say that I have never put down a healthy dog."

One of the most important steps that Ms Shepherd would like to see is the introduction of a neutering campaign, as part of the changes to the Animal Welfare Law. But she emphasised that the legislation cannot be restricted to paperwork.

"The neutering campaign needs to be aggressive and the Animal Welfare Law needs to be enforced when implemented with penalties which fit the crimes," she said. "We are also very happy to hear that the authorities are considering the use of microchips, enabling us to identify dog owners."

Ms Shepherd had words of praise for Yvonne Mangion’s homing campaign which, she said, had provided many dogs with suitable homes.

"Not only has Ms Mangion contributed to lessening our burden, but she has a natural talent to be able to identify who will make a good owner, and who has wrong intentions," she said. "Through her we know that we will never give a dog to an unsuitable owner."

The Society comes across around three or four cases of animal cruelty every week, and works closely with the police and other authorities to find the perpetrators of such atrocious acts.

Through an improved public image, the Society has the help of the members of the general public who phone in. Volunteers are also setting up databases on lost and found pets, animal cruelty and so on, which the society can share with other animal associations. The SPCA is working closely with other local animal organisations, which have unofficially joined forces to form a united front. "Although we want to keep our separate identities, when we formalise our union, we will have a stronger voice when dealing with the authorities," Ms Shepherd said.