€2,000 Fine And A Revoked License For The Maiming Of Dogs: Is Enough Being Done To Prevent Animal Cruelty In Malta?
A man was arraigned in court today for having performed an illegal medical procedure – severing his dog’s ears – behind closed doors.
40-year-old Etienne Sperando, from Mosta, was subsequently fined €2,000 and had his Ownership license revoked for three years. The latter penalty means that he is banned from owning dogs for the next three years.
The dog in question still remains under Sperando’s charge, as it would only have been confiscated had the dog been kept in abusive or bad conditions, which was not the case.
In court, Magistrate Gabriella Vella heard the testimony of inspector Elliot Magro, who went on to say that police became aware of photos – put online – from the accused, which displayed images of his dog after the procedure had been carried out.
It followed that Animal Welfare officials made an inspection on-site, only to find that initial reports were correct.
Sperando was charged with counts tied to animal cruelty, for performing an illegal operation on his pet, and even for selling and/or buying animals having undergone such a procedure.
The man did not contest the allegations and pled guilty.
The process of cutting off a dog’s ears – a procedure known as ‘ear cropping’ has been declared a form of animal cruelty for some time, in Malta.
It refers to the practice of reshaping a dog’s ears by surgically removing the ‘floppy part’ of the ear. A cosmetic procedure with no medical relevance whatsoever.
With animals in Malta powerless to have even the slightest say in what they undergo, in the face of their master, the question yet remains – is enough being done to safeguard the interest of animals, in Malta?
Do you think pets are protected enough by Maltese Law?