Video of Animal Welfare officers rescuing shot dog shows a sector in crisis - PN

A video doing the rounds on social media, showing Animal Welfare officers inexpertly handling a dog that had been shot is proof that the sector is in crisis, according to the PN Shadow Minister for animal rights.

Janice Chetuti, Shadow Minister for the Protection of Animals and Consumer Rights, reacted to the video with disgust and accused the Government of “failing, every day, to adequately protect animals.”  Incidents where animals suffered mistreatment were regular, daily, occurrences, Chetcuti said.

The Shadow Minister was doubly unimpressed with the way the case was handled by the Animal Welfare Directorate, commenting that it was unacceptable that not all of its staff, including animal carers and handlers, receive continuous job-related training and at times lack the tools required to fulfil their duties.

“The Nationalist Party, together with every person who loves animals, cannot accept more cruelty and lack of knowledge.”

The PN pointed to the fact that the Ta’ Qali animal hospital, which had been set up by a Nationalist government, has been closed since August, leaving a gap in treatment availability for animals that need complex surgery.

Nothing had become of the government’s promises to set up a re-homing centre for animals, nor had its promised animal cemetery materialised, said the PN, adding that the lack of proper investment in the sector was causing shortcomings and problems to surface.