I am not one to comment on legal proceedings currently underway and I won’t except to say that the recent case involving one of Malta’s most visible animal carers has sent shock-waves through the entire community. The allegations (and let's remember that’s all they are at this point) are of huge concern to me and to other like-minded people and they should not be interpreted as a proper reflection of all the people and NGOs who volunteer tirelessly to take care of those animals either forgotten or abandoned.
It further proves the point that Government needs to do more than simply rely on good natured individuals to care for these animals. George Pullicino’s initiative in starting the set up of the Ta Qali Animal After-care Centre is a big leap in the right direction – and it’s good to see that these issues have made it onto the political agenda.
We are by and large a society that cares for our animals and people’s awareness of the issues has hugely increased. When I compare to my election campaign five years ago I now find people I meet not only aware but advocating for this to a remain an important issue.
Should I be entrusted to represent you within the European Parliament, I will lend my voice to animal welfare concerns, not only for domestic animals, but also for the proper and dignified treatment of animals that are in the agricultural food chain. My position is that we, as Europeans, should always strive to treat our own animals better, and I would work for educational programmes and legislative proposals which would help achieve this.
After all I think it was Ghandi who famously said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” – wise words indeed
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