A number of animal activists and animal lovers have been extremely vocal on the recent €150 government allowance granted to people who adopt pets from licensed animal sanctuaries, saying that such a scheme will only lead to more animals being taken to the sanctuary.
On Tuesday, parliamentary secretary Clint Camilleri announced the scheme which he said was aimed to encourage people to adopt animals from shelters.
But apart from raising the usual banter and memes on the social media – such as the one above, which links the €300 donation for every child born after 1 January to the €150 grant to adopt pet – animal activists questioned the reasoning behind the idea, given that the government has not found any money for more important projects.
Many have called the scheme “stupid”, “uncaring” and “crazy”, stating that the scheme will only tempting people to adopt a pet just for the grant and later on will abandon the animal, once again breaking their heart and leaving them vulnerable. “These poor creatures have already experienced rejection,” one post read.
Animal activist Alison Bezzina said on Facebook that no money was found to fix the pens at Ghammieri, which means that for another year there will be “no heating, no bedding” for the animals while “water is coming in from everywhere”.
“We don't have money to enlarge the space so that when an unchipped healthy dog is found roaming the street we don't have to let him get run over before he is picked up by Animal Welfare.
“We don't have money for a nationwide neutering campaign which is what this country really needs the most if we are ever going to tackle the ever growing dog population.
“We don't have money for decent and proper equipment so that Animal Welfare Officers don't risk their lives every time they go out on a rescue.
“We don't have money to train such officers, and we don't have money to have more than one emergency ambulance on duty with every shift.
“And yet we have what will probably cost €150 000 a year (based on an average of 1,000 adoptions) to give adopters a one-time €150 grant for adopting - a scheme that every single sanctuary that I spoke to, is fiercely against, and for good reason.
Camilleri said that "there will be a number of checks and balances to ensure that there is no form of abuse towards the animals." But, Bezzina argued, given that Animal Welfare do not even have the resources nor the will to check reports of abuse in a timely manner, and given that the sanctuaries are already over stretched and hardly coping as things stand”, how will this take place and who will conduct these checks and balances.
Alison informed this newsroom that Camilleri answered her questions and confirmed that Animal Welfare and Government’s Veterinary Services will be conducting the inspections.
Another animal activist and volunteer Mark Thorogood said that he was appalled that the government will be granting €150 “bribe” to anyone adopting a pet from a registered sanctuary. “The pitfalls were detailed when this proposal came out earlier this year, with AFAIK every sanctuary coming out against it.” He pointed out that this scheme will only cause more problems for fosterers of animals; since only animals from registered sanctuaries will be eligible for the grant.
Animal lovers explained that those real pet lovers do not need to be paid and that the scheme itself will only benefit those who will abuse the system and then throw out the pet once granted the money. Others were concerned that the scheme will become a “money making motivator and animals will be handed to any Tom, dick and harry”. Many users believe that the €150 should be offered to Sanctuaries, calling out that the Animal Welfare Minister has absolutely no idea and is ignorant of the current situation NGO Animal Sanctuaries and non-registered animal lovers are facing.