Anyone found guilty of animal cruelty will be banned from owning a dog for a period of time set by the courts, according to new rules that came into force yesterday.
The long-awaited law also says that all dog owners are to microchip their pets by April 30 next year or face a €300 fine.
The regulations, being implemented two months after they were formally launched, come in the wake of public outcry at the latest case of animal cruelty, which saw a young bitch being shot and buried alive. The bitch named Star luckily survived, even thanks to the action and attention of animal welfare officers.
Microchipping, made compulsory by the new rules, brought into force through a legal notice, could, according to animal welfare groups reduce the number of abandoned animals because owners will be traceable. It will also help give the government a better picture of the pet population because out of the 100,000-odd estimated dogs in Malta, only 5,000 are registered.
Present practice obliges dog owners to register their pets every year with the police at an annual fee of €2.33. The microchip does away with this registration and costs €10 for neutered dogs and €20 for unneutered ones. The difference in rates is meant to promote neutering and cut the number of strays. The fee covers the cost of the microchip and its inclusion in a central database and entitles the owner to a lifetime licence.
Only people over 18 years old can apply for a licence and each pet has to be covered by a separate licence.
The microchip, not larger than a grain of rice, is implanted by a vet in the fold of skin between the dog’s shoulder blades and remains active throughout its lifetime. Dogs will have to be microchipped by the time they are four months. Owners of imported canines have 90 days during which to register their pet.
When the dog is in a public place, the owner has to ensure it carries a badge displaying a telephone number.
Blind or disabled people who have a guide dog, or a pet for assistance, will not be charged for microchipping.
The Animal Welfare Department will be carrying out random checks on people walking their dog to enforce microchipping.
The new regulations also lay down conditions for breeders, who will have to register their practice. They will not be allowed to breed more than six litters from one bitch or mate a female under 12 months old. Puppies cannot be sold before they are eight weeks old.