The Animal Welfare Directorate followed all established and proper procedures in cases of dogs which had to be euthanised, an investigation by the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare found. 

The Veterinary Surgeon’s Council (VSC) was also requested to investigate the Directorate’s Veterinary Surgeon. The Veterinary Surgeon’s Council found no form of malpractice, misconduct, or breach of ethics by the veterinary surgeon in question.  

The commissioner had launched the investigation into claims that a number of dogs that were euthanised by The Animal Welfare Directorate between January 2021 and September 2021 last August after a request by the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Welfare. 

The report indicates that in the above period, the directorate took In 231 dogs, nine of which were euthanised for aggressive behaviour. Whilst the veracity of these figures was questioned by activists, the report notes that no evidence was brought forward to prove that these figures were incorrect.

The nine dogs that were euthanised were mostly Pitbull mix /large breeds that were considered dangerous by the directorate. For each of these dogs, the directorate provided a detailed incident report which was signed by three people, or medical report from APH Veterinary Hospital (APH).

The report then delves into each of the nine individual cases, detailing how long each dog had spent at animal welfare and their characteristics which ultimately led to them being put down.

In the public version of the report, witness names have been hidden to protect the identity of those who contributed to the investigation. This was done to avoid further bullying tactics and unacceptable social media discourse which had ensued before and throughout the investigation.

The Commissioner said that her office’s investigation board conducted in-depth research into what led to the euthanasia of the dogs, and whether the Animal Welfare Directorate acted according to law and according to approved and established Operating Standard Procedure.  

The investigation also examined public opinion and concern, consulted with experts in the field, and finally provided several recommendations for best practices.  

The board consulted with all the dog sanctuaries in Malta and Gozo, with the Animal Welfare Council. the Veterinary Surgeons’ Council and a dog behaviourist/trainer.  

Following this, the commissioner's office concluded that "the Directorate acted according to law and according to the approved and established standard operating procedure." 

"The Veterinary Surgeon’s Council (VSC) was also requested to investigate the Directorate’s Veterinary Surgeon. The Veterinary Surgeon’s Council found no form of malpractice, misconduct, or breach of ethics by the veterinary surgeon in question," a press statement by the Commissioner's office also reads. 

After weighing all the evidence, sentiments, and professional positions, The Commissioner's report presents several conclusive observations as well as 10 recommendations for consideration by The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Welfare. 

Amongst the recommendations were are updates to legislation on dangerous dogs to include provisions on the minimum amount of time (suggested to be not less than four months) that a dog should spend at the directorate before euthanasia due to aggressive behaviour is considered, and the minimum number of aggressive incidents that a dog should be involved in before euthanasia is considered for the same reason. 

A fenced open space at Animal Welfare (Ghammieri) should also be provided for the dogs to run freely, blow off steam, and serve for observation and training purposes prior to rehoming, the report suggests.

The report also suggests more training for staff and volunteers, and more restrictions on dog breeding in order to curb abuses.

In conclusion, the commissioner said that the report clearly unveils that significant improvements have been made in past months, but also affirms that the Directorate has very limited resources for the task at hand and that for significant improvements to be felt, resources especially in terms of human resources, need to be increased and improved considerably and quickly. 

The full report can be accessed here:

https://agrikoltura.gov.mt/en/commissioneranimalwelfare/Documents/publicationsDownloads/ptsInvestigationReport.pdf