The owner of several dogs and farm animals kept in squalid conditions in a field in Luqa has been warned by the authorities to remedy the situation.

The case was flagged a fortnight ago up by environmentalist Alan Deidun who uploaded photographs on his Facebook account of a site close to Council of Europe Road, an arterial road behind the Addolorata Cemetery.

Prof. Deidun said a number of dogs locked in steel mesh cages started barking when he approached the field where mounds of dirt concealed behind a row of prickly pear trees could be seen.

Apart from the dogs, a number of chickens were also spotted roaming around the filthy area, which, the environmentalist reported, was more akin to a makeshift dump.

Subsequently, a spokesman for the Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretariat said that the Animal Welfare Department had started an investigation.

Further follow-up inspections will be carried out by the directorate

Though he did not give any details about the findings of an onsite inspection, the spokesman later confirmed that the owner had been given a formal warning as well as detailed instructions on the necessary changes to meet the desired animal welfare standards.

“A joint inspection will follow in collaboration with the Veterinary Services Department and further follow-up inspections will be carried out by the directorate, thus ensuring the health and living conditions of all animals on site,” he added.

Photographs taken by this newspaper a few days after the investigation had been launched showed the presence of a blue truck loaded with waste and a number of dogs roaming freely. However, it could not be established whether the material had been loaded from the site or whether it had been brought over to be dumped there.