Over 6,000 dogs and cats have been rescued and treated since the animal ambulance was launched, Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino said this afternoon.

Half were successfully adopted, he added.

The minister was speaking at the San Franġisk animal welfare centre at Ta’ Qali, where he was shown a new digital developing machine.

The machine, purchased by the centre, digitalises X-rays, allowing them to be magnified and viewed in more detail, as well as be sent to foreign experts in the event of a difficult case.     

He said that the Government built shelters for karrozzini horses in Valletta, and planned to extend this to the horses in places such as Sliema and Bugibba.

Twelve scholarships were awarded to students studying to become veterinarians.

Mr Pullicino added that more than 50,000 dogs were microchipped so far, while 52 people charged with animal cruelty were taken to court.

“Our education campaign has been conducted so well that the English authorities have been in touch with us to study the way we introduced and implemented microchipping,” Mr Pullicino said.

The minister also referred to Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s animal cemetery proposal.

“You cannot have a cemetery for animal carcasses. It is against EU regulations. What you can do is cremate the animal in Marsa and bury its ashes. But you definitely cannot have a public animal cemetery.”