Sunday, 29th June 2008
Legislate against animal cruelty
My dear late father once told me that 'politics is a dirty game'. At the time, I thought he simply meant corruption: after all, I had witnessed a dockyard labourer become a minister and within a short time build himself an impressive villa and become a very rich man.
But since my return to Malta in 2002, my father's words took on another meaning.
Deceit. Duplicity of promises galore during the hustings which are quickly forgotten once candidates are elected.
Among its many manifesto promises, Gonzipn once again included the environment, which included animal welfare.
Unfortunately, however, the Prime Minister reappointed the same Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs (relieving him only of the controversial Malta Environment and Planning Authority).
It looks, therefore, that we should expect the status quo from the minister: lots of talk and little action, especially where animal welfare (cruelty) is concerned.
Recently in Swieqi, a pack of feral dogs attacked and butchered several cats, and in a more recent event in Sliema a pit bull terrier killed two cats.
I am not blaming the minister - the dogs did not belong to him. Mr Pullicino is to blame for his inactivity: he has done nothing to stop animal cruelty, especially the bestial cruelty perpetrated by man on helpless animals.
The 'hunting' dog in question was a stray in the Ta' Silġ area of Marsaxlokk.
It was a sweet-tempered, docile pet by all accounts, which only sought a little affection.
What it received instead was a bullet from close range which caused horrific wounds and untold pain.
Will the perpetrator be caught, taken to court and heavily fined or even imprisoned? Don't hold your breath.
Were the sadistic men who skinned a live rabbit caught and punished? Were those men who shot dead protected birds in the confines of the Għadira Nature Reserve brought to justice?
The Maltese are still lauded for their kindness and hospitality, something the Malta Tourism Authority makes much of in its campaigns.
It is such a pity animals can't talk, for they would contradict such a statement.
Government inertia and lack of legislation and enforcement are nothing but encouragement for vandals and hooligans to continue to maltreat helpless animals.
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Comments
I just want to make one simple comparison – the skate board track area near University was allocated by the government and built in a few weeks. Contrary to this, the Animal hospital land was given by the government, but must be built by NGOs! Why this difference? Why can’t the government built this hospital from our taxes?
My suggestion would be to put your money where your mouth is and make it clear to the nice politician who comes to clean your doorstep a few days before the elections that you will not be voting until harsh penalties are put in force to punish these cretins.
The other big problem is that the minister concerned could not be bothered to investigate, so in this respect Hon. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has to make another Minister in charge if he really wants to keep his promise to thousands of Animal Lovers in Malta and Gozo, as I am sure, these countful voters will make their votes count in five years time, most especially if the promise for an effective 24 hour animal hospital does not materialize years before the next general elections.
The beneficiaries of the Lm150,000 allocated in the 2008 budget are not the animals but the vets who are constantly ill advising the government purposely, thus creating a huge conflict of interest.
The problem is that the people in authority in this matter SIMPLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANIMALS and therefore they see no point in, once and for all, detaching the role of animal welfare from any Government sector!
Only some Cabinet member who, luckily, is personally interested in animal cruelty himself/herself, will bring about such a change in mentality.
So, my answer to Mr Aquilina St-John is: do not put your hopes up - no politicians is interested in animal welfare, as far as I can see.