The inauguration of the new animal welfare centre at Ta’ Qali, appropriately named after St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, is an important milestone and one that speaks volumes about the principle of caring which guides this Administration. The inauguration of the new centre is the culmination of a number of steps undertaken over the past years.

Ever since I became responsible for this sector, I always admired the selfless way in which these folk who care for animals carry out their duties and I have nothing but sheer admiration for their efforts. There are aspects on which they can improve, such as lessening the fragmentation among groups with a common aim, however, I still think their work has filled in the void that there was until the recent past.

Some may have welcomed the government’s initial steps with a degree of scepticism because this was a sector where little, if anything, had been done by the government. I want to emphasise that this sector has flourished, albeit with limitations, thanks to the voluntary dedication of the various animal welfare groups that operate in Malta.

The government’s venture in this sector was also one sure way to show it also cared and a clear statement it wanted to assist these NGOs in their work. The initial focus was to set up a fully-fledged department that could support the range of services one should expect. We embarked on the recruitment of personnel who had to have animal welfare at heart. I am proud we were fortunate to find a team of dedicated men and women who, ever since, have been making the difference in animal welfare. In the past two years since the department was set up, 2,000 dogs and cats were given care and almost half of these animals found a home as pets.

With the administrative part settled, the government started to invest its money on an annual basis in improving the conditions and standards in private animal sanctuaries and also to equip its resources. We commenced, among other initiatives, a 24/7 animal ambulance service. At the same time, we embarked upon an ambitious track to set up this centre, which would serve as the cornerstone on which to build subsequent initiatives. We decided to invest in the next step in order to fill in the void which was being felt, that of a centre which would primarily serve as a place where stray dogs and cats could be cured. Pets may also be brought for medical treatment round the clock, seven days a week for a reasonable fee. All animals brought to the centre will be able to enjoy an after care service to convalesce. A further use of the centre will be to train guide dogs for persons who are visually impaired.

In spite of a worldwide recession that led to a re-prioritisation of the government’s objectives, €300,000 were invested into the building of the animal welfare centre. This is further proof of how high animal welfare is on this government’s agenda. In line with other concerns of this government, the building was constructed with a grass roof in order to enable it to fit in with the surrounding landscape while, at the same time, act as an insulation which diminishes the energy consumption, thus keeping the carbon footprint low.

The rest is recent history. Further investment, totalling about €300,000 was needed for the finishing and equipment required for the centre, which is now a fitting monument to the guiding principles of our society, foremost among which is the care we show to each other and to our animals. This message of care needs to be spread among us and it is for this reason that the centre will serve an educational purpose by providing information on animal welfare.

We have come a long way. We will now continue to work on the introduction of a revamped, and stricter, licensing regime for animals that shall serve the purpose of curbing our stray animal population.

That is the higher mission that St Francis spoke about when he said that “Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission: to be of service to them whenever they require it”. It is with no coincidence that we chose this quote to adorn the centre’s entrance.

The author is Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs.