Watch: ONE TV Presenter Emphasises That Minister Met Animal Lovers Despite Protest
As animal activists ramp up the pressure on the authorities, Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo appeared on ONE TV’s Pjazza last night to insist the government is actually doing a pretty good job.
Refalo started off by pointing out that “everyone has the right to protest” and noting that he and Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said met representatives of the activists the day after the protest.
Here, ONE TV Karl Stagno Navarra interjected to hint to his viewers that the minister had just said something significant.
“Despite the protest, you met up with them anyway,” Stagno Navarra stressed, to which Refalo pointed out that yes, he had indeed done just that.
@lovinmaltaofficial What do you make of #animalrights #minister Anton Refalo's comments on this week's #protest in #valletta ? 🤔 #fyp #fypmalta #LovinMalta #malta #reactions #activism ♬ original sound – Lovin Malta
Of course, it is a minister’s job to regularly meet stakeholders of the sectors that form part of their portfolio, even those (and in many cases especially those) who publicly criticise the authorities.
During the protest on Wednesday, animal activists issued a range of proposals, including the allocation of more resources to the Animal Welfare Department and animal emergency service, more aid to feeders and sanctuaries, and harsher fines on animal abusers.
Refalo and Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said were both criticised for deprioritising animal welfare ahead of other issues – such as agriculture and fisheries – in their portfolios.
However, Refalo said yesterday that authorities and activists are actually on the same page and that the issue boiled down to a communication breakdown between the two sides.
“We showed the animal lovers how much the government truly cares about this sector,” he said.
“The government spent €1.2 million on animal welfare last year, which is 67% more than what was spent in the past two years.”
Refalo noted that consultation is ongoing over a long-term animal welfare strategy and referred to other plans in the pipeline – including a mass cat neutering campaign, a pet cemetery, a pet adoption portal, and more dog parks and cat cafes.
How can the government improve the state of animal welfare in Malta?
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