Pet owners need to be more aware of their moral obligations and legal responsibilities, according to the manager of the San Franġisk Animal Welfare Centre, in the wake of a controversy of a Persian cat that was put down at the centre before it could be claimed by its owners.
Dr Trevor Zammit said “the sad event” of the Persian cat being put down – after it was picked up and considered as a stray by the Animal Ambulance – also showed that pet owners need to be more aware of the “constant dangers and suffering inflicted on pets when they are left roaming the streets unattended.”
The Sunday Times reported the story of the Persian cat on October 16. Its owners claim that after discovering their cat had been picked up by the Animal Ambulance and taken to San Franġisk they went to collect it – only to be informed that the cat had been euthanised because it had ‘feline AIDS’, which they strongly dispute.
Without going into the merits of the case, Dr Zammit said owners should be aware that all pets roaming the streets that are unleashed, unchipped and with no other clear means of identification are regarded by the relevant enforcement entities as strays and become the responsibility of the Animal Welfare Department as soon as they are picked up by the department’s officers.
In the past year, Dr Zammit said San Franġisk had treated thousands of pets – mostly cats and dogs – that had suffered “horrendous injuries” or contracted terminal illnesses as a direct result of being left to roam the streets unattended.
“Strays which are diagnosed as suffering due to their injuries or that have illnesses or injuries that require continued expensive medication or that pose a danger of infection to other animals or humans, are normally euthanised by the hospital (San Franġisk),” Dr Zammit said.
San Franġisk is not a sanctuary and it is run and financed privately. It was built with €420,000 of government money, according to the Animal Welfare Departmentwebsite, but Dr Zammit was contracted to operate the centre privately following a public call forapplications.
The centre offers “veterinary medical examinations and hospitalisation services” free of charge to strays brought by the Animal Ambulance, while the Animal Welfare Department foots the bills for medicinal costs. It also offers discounted rates to NGOs which care for animals.
However, long-term responsibility for the care of sick or injured strays lies with the various dog and cat sanctuaries found across the country and the Għammieri holding station run by the Animal Welfare Department, Dr Zammit explained.
“We are confident that, as the hundreds of returning satisfied clients testify, we are offering services of very high quality which are in their vast majority appreciated.”