Like many people in Europe, I expected that once Malta joined the EU abysmal treatment of animals would become less common.

At first, following the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act of 2002, the situation looked promising. Yet, time has passed and there has sadly been little change.

Cruelty to animals is rarely punished and strays are poisoned in the streets with seeming impunity. The training of officials to recognise breaches of the Act is highly suspect, as is their will to prosecute offenders. When offenders are successfully prosecuted, the penalties handed down to them are woefully inadequate.

The Animal Welfare Council, so pivotal to the success of the Act, is ineffectual and lacking in commitment. Any proposals it has managed to come up with have so far been shelved.

I respectfully ask the Maltese government to carry out an urgent revision of the Animal Welfare Act in consultation with the Partnership for Active Animal Welfare Societies (PAAWS) and ensure that representatives of these groups comprise half of the Animal Welfare Council.

I would also ask it to increase penalties for infringements of the Act, providing for higher minimum fines and mandatory prison sentences for repeat offenders. Substantial sums of money change hands at dogfights and to fine offenders a few hundred euros is laughable and no deterrent.

I also suggest an aggressive investigation into the disappearance of street cats and the ongoing widespread poisonings. Maltese NGOs are doing considerable neuter and release work using their own limited resources.

Public funds should be allocated to the collective SOS Animals Malta Animal Welfare Fund to enable them to continue this vital work, thus controlling the numbers of strays and reducing the risk of their unauthorised and sadistic killing.

Meanwhile, the government refuses to permanently ban the spring shooting of migratory birds in blatant breach of the EU Birds Directive. The EU is a democratic institution and membership carries a responsibility to abide by its rules. No member country can pick and choose which ones to follow. If the rules are inappropriate for Malta perhaps its membership is as well.

Please send a clear message that Malta will not tolerate cruelty to animals.