The UK’s Blue Cross charity for pets and ITV Granzenlos, a German animal welfare society, have teamed up with Gozo SPCA for the provision of a pet neutering project in the village of San Lawrenz in Gozo.

The SPCA said it had long held the view that the problem of stray animals was being created by the abandonment of unwanted animals, particularly puppies and kittens.

This year alone, Gozo SPCA collected 312 animals, of which 47 were adult cats, 106 were dogs (including puppies) and 155 were kittens. Of these kittens no more than 10 were feral, which means the rest were owned.

“Neutering pets and preventing the birth of unwanted animals is a better option than abandoning them after they are born,” the SPCA said.

It said The Blue Cross will cover the costs of neutering all the cats in San Lawrenz. The charity is also contributing most of the funding for a new neutering van, which will also be used for school visits and fund raising activities.

ITV Grenzenlos has been taking some some dogs to Germany for rehoming and will now cover all the costs of neutering the dogs of San Lawrenz.

The SPCA said it was hoped that the project in San Lawrenz would be repeated in other villages in Gozo, the SPCA said.