Since animal welfare is so close to my heart, I was interested to read Melissa Coleiro's letter (The Sunday Times, January 27).

I sympathise with her when she says that it is very difficult to get help in order to save an animal from distress - this is so true. However, Ms Coleiro should be aware of a few things - that most animal welfare associations in Malta and Gozo, such as AAA, which she chose to mention, are run on a voluntary basis, and that they get no official funds from anyone.

On the contrary, SPCA (and considering my earlier letters to this newspaper regarding this association, I do not wish to sound as if I am taking a dig at them) is the only association which, I believe, is duty-bound to intervene due to the (very modest) funds it receives from the Government. (Of course, what happens to the dogs caught by SPCA would be another matter; but that is not the aim of this letter.)

The fact is that AAA or the other animal welfare associations are not obliged to answer your calls and come to the animal's aid.

Another point: sometimes people only remember such associations when they want animals removed from their doorsteps, or their pavements, because they are a nuisance to them or because they feel guilty. Perhaps it is high time for us to do something concrete in favour of animals.

We can dig into our pockets and help these sanctuaries which, by the way, are full to the brim with animals brought in from the streets, and this is because they rightly have a no-kill policy.

We can also visit their premises, especially on open days, and volunteer to help and also walk the dogs.

We can also look after the cats we find in public gardens near our homes - giving them fresh water, food and perhaps even give them shelter from the cold weather and the scorching sun; I know that some people even go further, taking stray cats to vets when the need arises - why not?

We can also decide to go to one such sanctuary and adopt a dog or cat instead of spending precious money and buying a pedigree from often money-minded breeders. Thus we would also be making room for unfortunate animals to find their way into these sanctuaries.

These sanctuaries, as I said earlier, are full to the brim - and to crown it all, there are fewer and fewer volunteers. Their financial situation continues to be precarious because the country does not find the necessary funds to help out, while there was no problem to finance the Tal-Qroqq skating rink project.