On May 10, my wife was walking our two dogs at the Majjistral Park, in the limits of Mellieħa. She took both animals off the lead so they could run about.

Unfortunately, one of them ate a scrap of meat that had been baited with snail poison by someone with obvious sociopathic problems.

Realising this, she had the presence of mind to rush the dog to a vet who saved our much-loved dog’s life by applying the correct treatment.

I understand that this problem of meat scraps being baited with snail or rat poison is quite common throughout the beautiful countryside of Malta and Gozo.

Indeed, this incident is the third attempted poisoning at Majjistral Park this year alone. The police have been informed of this but, to the best of my knowledge, no one has yet been prosecuted.

Death from this form of poisoning is particularly nasty.

The reason I am writing this letter is to warn all dog owners in our islands who take their dogs out for a run in the country to ensure that their dog wears a muzzle to avoid being poisoned (picture above).

I urge the police to be more proactive in this respect. I also urge the Church to regularly remind the faithful that the wanton cruelty to animals is morally wrong and unacceptable behaviour.