The Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina has said that an urgent review of zoo regulations and an overhaul to the animal emergency service is needed.

Bezzina made the recommendations in a 25-page feedback document to fully address the five questions posting in the public consultation exercise around the National Animal Welfare Strategy.

The consultation exercise comes to a close on 17 June.

In her feedback, Bezzina said that there are five points which need to be tackled with “immediate effect and with urgency.”

These are: Improving or overhauling the Animal Ambulance and 1717 emergency service; improving and strengthening of AWD’s Enforcement Unit; new Breeding Regulations; having a stronger cat neutering solution (interim to awarding of tender), and new Zoo Regulations

In her concluding note, The Commissioner explained that whilst a public consultation is welcome and a National Animal welfare Strategy is needed, there are very critical and pressing matters that need to be dealt with without further delays.

“The longer it takes to implement these matters, the longer suffering, neglect and abuse will continue,” she said.

The Commissioner's role is purely consultative meaning that any recommendations or suggestions made by the Commissioner need to be accepted and implemented by the Ministry for Agriculture or other authorities. The Commissioner has no power to implement change herself.

For details on the feedback document presented to The Ministry of Agriculture by The Commissioner for Animal Welfare, you can click here.