Minister defends prices charged by vet at animal welfare centre

In less than a year, the Animal Welfare Department took 642 stray dogs to the San Frangisk animal welfare centre and the medicinal cost of tending to these dogs amounted to €19,750, Minister George Pullicino said in parliament this evening.

Asked by Labour MP Joe Mizzi what was the total number of dogs admitted to the centre, Pullicino was not in a position to respond:

“I can only say how many dogs were taken by the animal welfare department. Other dogs admitted to the clinic do not fall under my responsibility as the clinic is run privately.”

Referring to criticism over the exorbitant prices charged at the clinic, Pullicino said the public had a vast choice from where to choose if it wasn’t satisfied with the price:

“The Ta’ Qali centre is not the only existing centre and there are more clinics from where the public can choose from. However, one must understand that the running cost to keep such a clinic open is much more than the running cost of a clinic which operates for a limited number hours and days per week.”

The centre is currently the only 24-hour animal care centre on the island. “Definitely, no other clinic is giving the service given at the Ta’ Qali centre,” Pullicino argued.

The Minister said in no way did government wanted to give a service which would hinder the private: “We only wanted to provide the Maltese with a service which was also available over the weekend.”

He argued that thousands made use of the services provided at the clinic: “If the prices were so ‘exorbitant’, why would it be thousands who made use of the centre? Their presence is the proof that the centre offers a professional service and the prices charged are in line with that service.”

In a separate statement, Pullicino said that 6,500 dogs have been micro-chipped and denied that dogs, which have been adopted from the centre, are not micro-chipped.