Amendments introducing harsher penalties for animal cruelty will start to be debated in Parliament next week.

The amendments to the Animal Welfare Act will give more powers to animal welfare officers by allowing them to confiscate animals at risk, among other things. The role of the Animal Welfare Commissioner will also be created and animal circuses will be banned.

This was announced this afternoon by Parliamentary Secretary for animal rights Roderick Galdes who said that the amendments would start now that the consultation process was over.

Mr Galdes was speaking at the new Siġġiewi premises of Funny Farm – an NGO for abandoned horses.

He explained that the representatives of the NGO had contacted the government after the private land in Bidnija, from where they operated, was no longer available for them to use.

Government felt that the NGO contributed to the animal welfare sector. The NGO was given access to abandoned stables, located in an old airfield in Siggiewi. A management agreement was signed between the government and the NGO.

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