50 People In Malta Have Been Charged With Animal Cruelty Since 2015
50 people have appeared in court on charges related to the ill treatment of animals in Malta since 2015, an average of just 12 cases per year.
There are no clear figures available as to how many of the 50 were found guilty.
In a series of parliamentary questions, Environment Minister Jose Herrera also tabled figures with regards to the illegal chaining of dogs.
The figures themselves seem to raise a number of questions, given that in 2018 alone, 116 inspections on the practice across both Malta and Gozo yielded just two formal complaints.
While the country has become a trailblazer when it comes to civil liberties, introducing forward thinking legislation (particularly when it came to LGBT issues), concerns over animal abuse are yet to subside, with the lack of concrete enforcement failing to match up with robust legislation.
The poisoning of helpless dogs and cats, for example, still remains a worryingly common occurrence.
The Animal Welfare Act refers to all living members of the animal kingdom, identifying them as sentient beings, who are able to recognise and suffer from pain, hunger, and psychological issues.
The ill treatment of animals can be defined as causing an animal to suffer by an act or the failure to act
Much like Malta’s growing waste problem, communities have even began to take some sort of action to ensure the welfare of stray animals within their localities, with shelters propping up all over the island.
What do you make of these figures? Let us know in the comments below
READ NEXT: Outrage Erupts After Images Of ‘Suffering’ Cows In Fgura Farm Hit Social Media
