Wednesday, 4th June 2008
Neutering/spaying should start with pets
At long last something good is about to start happening to help the poor homeless animals and to reduce the immense over population of strays and abandoned animals. It is about time!
In reference to starting with the strays, however, in my country we have a saying: "The horse was saddled backwards". So I suggest that this neutering/spaying and chip campaign should begin with privately-owned pets first.
To prevent these pets' offspring from being abandoned on the streets of Malta, should there not be free neutering/spaying and chip registration (or some financial help) for pet owners? Much of the problem to do with overpopulation of dogs on the streets of Malta stems from owners irresponsibly allowing their pets to roam the streets un-neutered and un-spayed. The next stage could then be the neutering and spaying of the strays.
In the animal sanctuaries of Malta all animals are neutered and spayed. AAA is a very good example. Here every single dog and cat is neutered/spayed and chipped and provided with documentation to this effect as soon as they arrive at the AAA.
It is necessary to start with the breeding kennels and private owners to avoid overpopulation and even more animals ending up on the streets of this island. Breeders should have to declare their business and pay tax on their profits.
I urge the minister to rethink.
RSS
Comments
Which Sanctuary can avoid to pay the prices which are now ask for?
A lot of organisations have had a high amount of outstanding bills at the vets!
But now the Prices triple!!!
Sorry, but it is stupid to start with the Sanctuary's and not from private pet owner!
all the Strays will be neutered and spayed.
and then??
everything starts from beginning!
because people don't stop throw out there pets and puppy's!
I can't believe, that not all organisations stand up and fight for this.
but maybe I'm wrong! we will see in a few month!
We do have an Animal Welfare Law, vide: http://docs.justice.gov.mt/lom/legislation/english/leg/vol_13/chapt439.pdf
It has been in force since 2002 and the penalties are even stiffer than the UK Animal Welfare Legislation!
But please note that the money being spent on neutering and on upgrading animal sanctuaries to proper levels is not coming from EU but from the Local funds.
That vet fees are reasonable, this service is not a "charity". Our vets still charge fees that barely covered their expenses to help out with sanctuaries and stray animals. The fees agreed with government are also well below their standard fees.
I have always said that the abandoned pupies do not only come from stray dogs. Most of them come most certainly from domestic pets or farm animals, i.e. from irresponsible owners' dogs. It is important to make it illegal to leave one's dog on the loose, off the lead or allowed to roam the streets. I repeat ad nauseam that registration of ALL dogs and enforcement of the law is the only answer. Shame on those courts that hand out ridiculous penalties!
First: we have an Animal Welfare LAW. The penalties are stiffer than that of the UK !!! The problem is enforcement.
Second: The neutering programme as well as the funding for upgrading of sanctuaries is NOT coming from EU money, it is coming from local funding.
Third: what the vets charged sanctuaries in tihe past was charity. They mad a contribution out of their own pockets to give the service. Now htat government is paying they are meeting all their expenses and paying VAT back ot the government for doing that !
Please understand that your concern for the stray animals is appreciated and your suggestion regarding breeding is well founded. I hope that the authorities will enforce that professional breeders will have to register their dogs and pay VAT on the sales of their puppies.
It is a stark fact, and I have repeated it often, that the abandoned puppies do not come mainly from stray dogs but from private pet owners. I agrree with you 100 % there!
Public awareness and law enforcement is the only answer. The law can be read http://docs.justice.gov.mt/lom/legislation/english/leg/vol_13/chapt439.pdf
Why should private business be paid from official money??
I tell you why I think it have to be done!
First of all it is EU Money! Second Malta has never ever done anything for there Animals. No Low is implemented in the Governments Legislation! But Animals have a right!
third, no one was ever taking care of a Low, which is in many Europe Country's normal!
Registering of Pets! And a yearly Tax to them!
Now Malta comes in the pressure of EU Lows. Many many Pets will end up at the streets, if the government is not helping out with cheaper prices for chipping and registering, as a amnesty for the first year!
Scandalous is, that before we paid for neutering a stray 1/3 of what the vet is now getting from government!
Why? A vet has his responsibility to the stray problem in there own country as well. And the should not make a big business out of it! They should have constant with the old prices!
but if EU Money is involved........................
I am glad you volunteer with a sanctuary, than you must know how desperate the situation for stray animals is in Malta.
I adopted Timon (ex AAA resident) a year and a half ago. Maybe at the time microchipping, documentation etc was not being done . But I can assure you that nobody knew anything about Timon re his history where he was found , his age niether his name. Incidentally, I recently sent photos to Romina, the girl who handed him to us just to give her a follow up. Maybe you can have a look at the photos so you can enlighten me because I do wish to know something about his past.
Thank you for asking me to come and help out at your sanctuary, but I already do voluntary work with another sanctuary. I don't just love dogs from a distance you know.
It is true: the process of chipping an animal is rather expensive, and the government should do its best to reduce its price somewhat, and in this manner, more pet-owners would be encouraged to go through this proccess with their pets.
But to say that neutering and spaying should start with domestic pets is wrong. Strays should be at the central attention of the local authorities because they are the most vulnerable animals at the moment.
Animals being held at compounds and sanctuaries are also to be at the attention of the authorities in this manner - however, I am led to understand that this is normal procedure as soon as an animal is admitted into these sanctuaries.
In this process of capturing strays for neutering, attention is to be given not to remove a stray from its known surroundings, as far as practically possible. And as for female strays, they need a lot of after-care.
As for people who buy "pure-breeds", apart from the fact that these should be actually discouraged from doing so (let alone actually subsidized), usually, this type of animal owners would not wish to neuter/spay their animal property anyway, since to them, a neutered dog is damaged and useless property.
The only solution to the stray issue is for the government and the public to assist animal sanctuaries, and for people to stop breeding, selling and buying non-human animals.
More at http://animalrightsmalta.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-strays-neutering-breeding-and.html