Annaliza Borg

The consultation period for new regulations regarding minimum standards for animal sanctuaries closes tomorrow, and while sanctuary managers agree that these regulations are very necessary and long overdue, they say they need help in order to comply with them.

The regulations, entitled Amendments to Chapter 439, Animal Welfare Act and Chapter 437, Veterinary Services Act, were published in the Government Gazette of 3 January.

Apart from animal sanctuaries, they also cover the protection of animals in pet shops, licensing regulations for private veterinary establishments and the establishment of minimum standards for the operators of boarding facilities for cats and dogs.

An all-comprising Animal Welfare Act is being drawn up at EU level and should be in force by 2015. The contemplated regulations under discussion are in line with what is being discussed at EU level. However, there are a small number of registered animal sanctuaries and a number of others which are not even listed with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.

Reforms have recently been carried out regarding the farming of chickens and pigs to bring Malta in compliance with EU guidelines. The proposed standards for animal sanctuaries, pet shops, animal clinics and boarding kennels are seen as the next step.

These regulations were in four draft legal notices published by the Resources and Rural Affairs Ministry.

The regulations laying down Minimum Standards for Animal Sanctuaries stipulate that no person can manage, organise, set-up or operate a sanctuary without a licence and the responsible person must have the necessary qualifications.

Licences will only be issued to those of good conduct and over the age of 18, while employees and volunteers need to have sufficient knowledge and experience of the species of animals in the sanctuary. A register is to be kept of all animals in the sanctuary, with details of each, including the name of the person recording the animal and its condition health-wise on admission, including vaccination and neutering details and the animal’s microchip number.

No other species of animal other than those included in the licence may be kept.

On admission, an animal is to be placed in isolation accommodation for at least seven days to allow owners to reclaim it and to undergo a veterinary clinical examination and treatment, if necessary.

Cats that are over three months old and dogs which are over four months old are to be neutered within six weeks of admission to the sanctuary and prior to adoption.

The animals shall, at all times be kept in accommodation suitable to their species with respect to construction, size, temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness and all accommodation must be kept in good repair.

During daylight hours, light must be provided to all exercise and sleeping areas so that everywhere is clearly visible and where it is practicable, this should be natural light.

All inside areas should be properly ventilated, and care should be taken to avoid excessive draughts in sleeping areas.

The maximum number of animals allowed at a sanctuary should be determined by the accommodation available and in accordance with the specifications regarding the dimensions of cages.

Cat enclosure specifications note that each enclosure in the main accommodation and isolation area must have a sleeping area and an adjoining exercise area, exclusive to that enclosure. There must also be a gap of at least 0.65 metres between individual enclosures and the enclosures must have a minimum height of two metres to allow access for cleaning.

The sleeping area should be at least 0.85 square metres per cat plus 0.2 square metres per additional cat with a height of at least 0.91m in existing and 1.22m in newly-built sanctuaries.

Each cat must have an exercise area of at least 1.7 square metres plus an additional 0.5 square metres for each additional cat and exercise areas must not be used as sleeping areas.

Each dog must have a sleeping area of at least 1.9 square metres and an exercise area of at least 2.46 square metres for dogs up to 61cm high at the shoulder, or 3.34 square metres for larger dogs.

The temperature of sleeping areas must be between 10°C and 30°C. The exercise area should be separate from the dog’s sleeping area and accessible to the dog at all times except at night.

Group kennelling is restricted to five adult dogs and twelve adult cats respectively.

Animal enclosures must be cleaned twice a day to maintain good hygienic standards and a first aid kit for animals must be kept stocked at all times.

Food and water containers should be cleaned and disinfected after each meal and any leftover food should be disposed of.

Comfortable bedding, that can be easily cleaned and disinfected, should be provided. It should be checked daily and maintained in a clean, parasite-free and dry condition.

Facilities for food preparation and storage should be separate from the enclosures and the food should be stored in labelled closed containers of impervious material.

The regulations also stipulate that there must be suitable emergency precautions and written procedures, including arrangements for the evacuation of animals, and these must be pointed out to all the staff.

Meanwhile, the draft legal notice for the Protection of Animals Offered in Pet shops stipulates that pet shops should be licensed and the responsibility of a person over the age of 18 who has had the necessary training.

Records of all animals are to be kept and sale conditions are also stipulated. No animal can be sold to a person under the age of 16, unless that person has the written consent of a parent.

At all times, animals must be kept in accommodation suitable to the species with respect to construction, size, temperature, lighting, ventilation, humidity and cleanliness. The accommodation must be kept in good repair and no animals are to be placed on display outside the pet shop.

Pet shops are required to provide customers with written information regarding pet care at no charge.

The Private Veterinary Establishments (Licensing) Regulations, are more technical and specific to animal clinics. These lay out the necessary equipment to be used.

The Minimum Standards for Operating a Boarding Establishment for Cats and Dogs, 2011, are meanwhile very similar to the first two sets of regulations and each enclosure must be provided with a sleeping area of at least 1.9 square metres and an exercise area of at least 2.46 square metres for dogs up to 61cm height at shoulder, or 3.34 square metres for larger dogs.

Sanctuaries small and in unsuitable areas

SPCA chairwoman Barbara Cassar Torregiani said that at a discussion with the Minister regarding the regulations, it had been pointed out that sanctuaries would be given two-years to comply with the regulations. A yearly grant to help them achieve this had also been promised, but there is no indication in the published documents that this will be the case.

“The most important is for the Animal Welfare Directorate to enforce these regulations once they come in, otherwise the whole thing would be pointless,” she said.

The SPCA accommodates over 100 dogs and 40 to 50 cats at any one time. “We need a lot more space to continue doing the work currently taking place, in a much more suitable area,” said Ms Cassar Torregiani.

Rosalind Agius, Sanctuary Manager at the Abandoned Animals Association (AAA), said it was high time that sanctuaries where many dogs and cats are kept are regulated so that they do not become hoarding places. However, she emphasised that the government must start understanding the work being done by sanctuary managers and volunteers.

She referred to clauses regarding the maintenance of sanctuaries and pointed out that the organisation of which she forms part pays rent for its sanctuary and cannot afford a larger or more suitable place. No assistance has been forthcoming from the government.

SPCA Gozo representative Betty Berry said the regulations are long overdue and have been in the pipeline for many years. She therefore hopes they will become law in the near future as they are very necessary. Nevertheless, she pointed out that sanctuaries have not been given guidelines as to how they have to become compliant with the new regulations. There is a good chance that SPCA Gozo, which is a re-homing facility, will be one of several non-compliant shelters as its premises are too small for the number of animals accommodated.

In order to move towards compliance, it would need to drastically reduce the number of animals housed and in addition there is no quarantine area.

She does not have any problems with the proposed regulations but has been trying to find alternative premises for many years and no suitable place has so far been identified. While the Gozo Ministry has been helpful in earmarking a suitable site, there have been planning application problems.

Ms Berry pointed out that, in the height of summer, her organisation provides temporary shelter for 20 to 25 dogs and 25 to 30 kittens.

At the moment, all the kittens have been re-homed but last year a total of 68 were taken in, neutered and re-homed. Up until a few weeks ago, SPCA Gozo also had 25 dogs. Some have been re-homed in Malta and others have even been sent abroad.

Because there is no Animal Welfare office in Gozo, the organisation also deals with cases of animal cruelty and emergencies.

The proposed regulations are available online at www.doi.gov.mt/en/gazetteonline/2012/01/gazts/GG%203.1extra.pdf and comments can be emailed to the ministry at [email protected].