It was 2001. The first Animal Welfare Act was enacted, providing an invaluable legal framework to non-governmental organisations which tirelessly advocated for animal welfare and animal rights.

Unfortunately, more than a decade after this legislation, cases of animal abuse still make news headlines every now and then. To my mind springs the case of an innocent dog later named Star, but this was not the only case.

It was in this context that this government felt the need to embark on a review of the existing legislation concerning animal welfare. It was evident the penalties needed to be reviewed in order to serve as a more effective deterrent.

In the 2001 legislation, the maximum penalty for a first-time offender found guilty of animal cruelty or ill treatment was €30,000 and a maximum one-year imprisonment. The amendments approved last week in Parliament increase this to a maximum €55,000 and three years imprisonment. Penalties are even harsher for repeating offenders, bringing the amount to a maximum €80,000.

The penalty inflicted will be determined by the degree of harm and gravity of the offence. I’m pleased to note that this strict approach appears to draw the support of the public, something which continues to underline the importance of animal welfare in our society.

But this government’s efforts to curb animal abuse did not stop there. As promised in the electoral manifesto, we established the office of Commissioner for Animal Welfare, a move which I consider as a significant commitment by the government towards projecting a higher status for animal welfare.

We are committed to pursuing a programme of creating more pet recreation areas and more public spaces accessible to pets

Among its remits, the new Commissioner’s office will be empowered to review and investigate the workings of the Animal Welfare Council, the Directorate for Animal Welfare and Veterinary Services. Its work will culminate in publication of reports and recommendations.

Along these lines, the role of animal welfare officers was also strengthened. I believed that these officers must be duly mandated to exercise functions and authority necessary for the performance of an officer appointed to safeguard animal welfare, especially in rescue scenarios.

In this respect, the new legislation gives them several enforcement powers, which among others include the right of entry and search, right of seizure of animal in the event of ill-treatment, and the duty to carry out inspections and take relevant samples.

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of this new legislation is the ban on animal circuses. The 2001 animal welfare act was generic and use of circus animals was not specifically addressed. Through the new amendments, we felt it was time to ban the use of all species of animals in circuses, a notion backed by the strong majority which made its voice heard during the consultation process. Even the promotion or advertisement of animal circuses in Malta will now be restricted.

Work on the amendements of the law was initiated in early May of last year, with consultation taking place with stakeholders including the Directorate for Animal Welfare, Vetinary Services and the Animal Welfare Council.

This legislation is just one of the latest steps we took to strengthen animal welfare. As underlined in our electoral manifesto, we are committed to pursuing a programme of creating more pet recreation areas and more public spaces accessible to pets.

A case in point was the inauguration of a new dog park in Ta’ Qali earlier this month, where a piece of land 2,100m2, previously used as an illegal dumping site, was repristinated and given back to the public.

All this underlines the government’s determinination to continue transforming Malta into an animal-friendly country through the legal and infrastructural changes needed. The bipartisan consensus on last week’s legislation is an encouraging step towards achieving this.

Roderick Galdes is Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights.

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