Steven Livingston, I presume, and indeed most of the correspondents of the letters that are published in The Times, condemning animal welfare in Malta and originating from the UK, seem to want to highlight a fiction that cruelty to animals in Malta is somewhat more rife or worse than in any other country or indeed the United Kingdom.

My frustration, and that of a large number of people, is nothing to do with people who reside in Malta, irrespective of the end letter on their ID card. They have every right to and indeed should raise any objection they wish. My objection is at a number of local animal activists who seem to have organised themselves and made it their business to inform their counterparts in the UK.

I actually agree with most of the contents of Mr Livingston`s letter (May 17) and also understand the frustrations that the animal welfare organisations worldwide face, but one feels we do not need outside interference in the matter, and in the process give Malta a bad name that it does not deserve.

These people would do better to put their money and their time where their mouth is and spend their precious time to raise some money to help the many animal welfare groups that exist on the island.