Malta's first dedicated animal aftercare centre was inaugurated at Ta' Qali by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino this morning.

The €300,000 centre, set up by the Rural Affairs Ministry close to the vegetable market at Ta' Qali, features facilities for the care of strays picked up by the Animal Welfare Department and rehabilitation services for pets that would have been operated privately but need post-operative care. Operations will also be held at the centre, which is geared to offer care for a range of animals, including horses.

It also features an isolation room for contagious cases, an exotic animal ward, kennels and a dedicated area to process waste produced by the animals.

The new centre will not provide long-term housing of animals, and that role would continue to be performed by the animal sanctuaries and a section of Ghammieri Farm. A nominal fee would be charged for care provided to pets, and the money would go towards covering part of the centre’s running costs.

The centre is named after St Francis, patron saint of animals.