Animal Welfare Commissioner wants tight breeding controls on pit bulls and bully breeds

Animal breeding should be tightly controlled with laws in place to curb irresponsible breeding, the Animal Welfare Commissioner recommended in its end-of-year report.

Alison Bezzina, the Commissioner for Animal Welfare, highlighted several outcomes, recommendations, and key takeaways in the 2021 end of year report.

Among the recommendations flagged were concerned with breeding. The recommendation formed part of a wider investigation into the Animal Welfare Directorate (AWD) and its practice euthanising aggressive dogs.

The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare after online reports suggested that several pitbull dogs were put down by the AWD due to aggressive behaviour.

The office concluded that the AWD acted legitimately and in good faith, while putting forward 10 recommendations to the Ministry responsible for Animal Welfare.

 “With immediate effect it is recommended that the minister exerts his rights to strictly control the breeding and importation of pitbull and bully breeds, at least until the situation improves,” the report recommended.

The Commissioner also recommended that dogs with a history of aggression are to be walked by experienced volunteers, wearing a visibility vest indicating passersby to stay away.

It called for a qualified dog behaviourist to be brought to Animal Welfare on a regular basis to identify issues in advance.

Another recommendation being implemented is for employees working with animals to be recruited more discriminately. “Besides meeting certain criteria on paper, they should pass an aptitude test and be given an induction and regular in-house training. Volunteers should be assessed for experience and given some in-house training before being allowed to have contact with animals.”

A recommendation is still under discussion with the Ministry in order to establish the minimum amount of time a dog should spend at the AWD and a minimum number of aggressive incidents that a dog should be involved in before euthanasia is considered.

Bezzina also flagged that a lack of space in sanctuaries and the Directorate’s shelter in Għammieri is leading to injured dogs not being taken in and non-urgent inspections being put on hold.

She mentioned the limited human resources available at the AWD, emphasising that the sector can't rely on volunteers to cover basic necessities like dog-walking. “Without proper and timely recruitment of these staff members, both the enforcement and rescue operations of the Directorate cannot function properly,” Bezzina remarked.