A Maltese NGO working with stray animals has made a number of serious allegations about the animal sector on the islands in a post that has animal volunteers concerned.

“Long post ahead,” NGO Kitty Guardians For Strays warns before revealing a number of ongoing issues on the island – foremost among them so-called ‘kill shelters’ where otherwise healthy animals are sent to be put to sleep when they don’t need to be.

“Kill Shelters are not technically in existence, but the practice has been going on for the majority of the time Animal Welfare was created,” it said. “Many lost their lives for simply having an injury or were in need of recovery costing more than €50,” it continued, referring to a believed cost cut-off that decides an animal’s fate.

The NGO went on to say that “newborns and sickly kittens are being microchipped and vaccinated” putting them at unnecessary risk – something it called “simple absurd, unheard of and unprofessional”.

Standard protocol means any animal that passes through AW processing needs to be microchipped and vaccinated. However, with survival rates for kittens being low in general – cats often overproduce to ensure survival of the species – animal activists have balked at the approach

It all came to a head with the NGO taking a “stand” and urging trappers, fosterers, shelters and sanctuaries to stop sending animals to AW.