A government-commissioned survey on the level of service at the San Franġisk animal hospital has been concluded but the data still has to be analysed.

Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Welfare Roderick Galdes said once the results were compiled and examined, the government would start discussions with the operator on what had to be changed.

Mr Galdes reiterated the criticism he had made in June, before the customer service review was commissioned, that the prices charged by the animal centre were “exorbitant”.

Asked whether the government would change the fees and introduce a maximum cost, Mr Galdes said there were contractual obligations that the government had to respect as the previous administration had signed a contract with the operator.

Although charges to the pet owners and NGOs were supposed to be affordable, there were consistent complaints these were too high.

Mr Galdes, who was addressing a press conference on Budget 2014 measures for his sector, said the survey was conducted by a “private company” but would not name it.

He said the “scientific” survey took a sample of 500 people, including those who had never used the services offered by the animal centre but were simply “animal lovers”.

Survey respondents were asked what bothered them about the service, what they liked and what they believed should be improved.

The fees being charged are too steep

Commissioning a customer service review had sparked a controversy between Mr Galdes and the centre’s director, vet Trevor Zammit, in June.

Dr Zammit unsuccessfully tried to halt the survey, with Mr Galdes insisting the centre’s operation was a matter of public and national interest. The court eventually permitted the poll.

The 24-hour centre, which was built with €420,000 of public funds, was opened in October 2010.

Dr Zammit was contracted to operate it following a public call for applications. He has 10 vets among his 35 employees.

The centre sees between 80 and 100 cases a day, 50 of these being brought in by the Animal Welfare Department.

As part of the contract, veterinary care to the latter is given for free, with only the cost of the medicine being covered.

But the fees were too steep, Mr Galdes insisted yesterday, adding he would discuss what action was needed once data from the scientific survey were in hand.

Mr Galdes said the government intended creating a 24-hour animal hotline for direct contact with the Animal Welfare Department. He said the dog park in Ta’ Qali had doubled in size, with more lighting added. The intention was to create more open spaces for animals.

The call for expressions of interest in an animal cemetery, which was an electoral pledge, would be issued soon, he said, as he clarified that only small animals would be permitted for burial.

Touching upon other issues, Mr Galdes said the government planned to issue a call for expressions of interest for the new management of the pitkali, the government’s vegetable market.