Thanks to the Budget and the approach of general elections .... An animal-friendly TIMES editorial.

Overdue promotion of animal welfare
It is a disheartening fact that the Maltese are, generally speaking, not an animal-loving nation. Cruelty to animals is widespread and the deliberate dumping of animals leads to an uncontrollable number of strays being left to fend for themselves.
Malta has to take a stand against the brutal treatment of animals and put a stop to the blatant contempt for animal welfare laws. The country's reputation has been besmirched again and again by shocking episodes, the latest being the killing of animals at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija, the case now being before the courts.
Despite this negative scenario, there are a number of NGOs manned by very dedicated people who do their utmost to promote the welfare of animals.
At long last, the government is living up to its commitment to recognise their worthy cause and has allocated Lm150,000 to support NGOs carrying out this largely thankless and demanding task. In addition, it is also devoting Lm60,000 to setting up an animal welfare centre in Ta' Qali that will provide shelter for stray dogs. Besides serving as an aftercare centre offering animals an inpatient service, it will also boast an educational centre which includes a library and an audiovisual facility.
This is most welcome news for animal lovers. Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino had a fruitful informal meeting with six animal welfare organisations, during which it was agreed that Lm75,000, half the money allocated, would be devoted to a national neutering programme.
Such a programme is long overdue as there is no other way to cope with the relentless increase of stray animals that have placed an unbearable strain on the NGOs working in this sphere. The minister has asked them to come forward with a feasible plan that can be implemented as early as possible. He also asked them to pool their resources and co-ordinate their activities.
Mr Pullicino's announcement that the new Voluntary Organisations Act will soon come into force must have boosted the NGOs' optimism even more. Such developments are a definite step in the right direction as all NGOs will have to formalise their position and be more accountable.
The proposal that a three-man body will scrutinise the spending of the government grant goes a long way to ensure that things will be carried out as professionally and effectively as possible.
There is no doubt that the committed volunteers will rise to the occasion and strive even harder to cope with the sad situation of unwanted and abandoned animals.
However, animal welfare demands much more than funds and a neutering programme. An example of this is explained so clearly by a representative of one of the animal NGOs: "The only way to discourage people from abandoning dogs is to enforce the law. It is against the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act to abandon an animal. However, unless registration and identification, preferably by microchip, of every last dog is introduced in Malta there is no possibility that the law can be enforced".
Despite laws and regulations, law enforcement leaves much to be desired and, too often, frightful cases of animal neglect and brutality go unpunished.
Trained law enforcement personnel, ideally including people with animal welfare at heart, would go a long way to stamp out this barbaric trait that scars Malta's image so badly. One hopes the government's allocation of much-needed funds for NGOs, along with its words of praise and support for them, will mark a definite and clear step towards promoting animal welfare in Malta.