The planned animal cemetery is a waste of money which could be better spent elsewhere, Animal Welfare Commissioner Alision Bezzina told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

Bezzina was asked for her comments after, in an answer to a parliamentary question, Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo had said last May that the animal cemetery was expected to be completed by the end of the year (2022). However with January 2023 almost ending, this cemetery is still not open.

The pet cemetery had been promised in 2015, and was to occupy 2,000 square metres in the San Gakbu area at ta’ Qali. However delays were always an issue, as funds only rolled around in 2020, with the tender being issued in January of the following year.

“People forget that although it is a cemetery, pets will not be buried there for sanitary purposes,” she said.

She added that pet owners would have to have their pet cremated separately on purpose in order to have their pet’s ashes separated, which is more costly than having a mass cremation.

Planning Authority documents show that the ‘burial’ area, what looks like several pigeon holes, will be above ground because of sanitary purposes since carcasses release toxins which can have a negative impact on the groundwater.

“Who is going to go through the hassle and cost of having their pet cremated and then leave it in an urn at the ‘cemetery’ at Ta Qali,” Bezzina said. “Its place is at home in the living room,” she added.

The commissioner’s views about the pet cemetery were sought after last week The Malta Independent reported about the finding of a dead rabbit outside a block of apartments in St Julian’s.

It is not known whether the rabbit was left outside still alive; however it was found dead in its cage, which was abandoned on the pavement.

Animal lovers contacted by this newspaper said that from the positioning of the rabbit it seemed that it had a very hard death as it had its paws stretched up and stiff.

Asked by TMI, the animal commissioner said that the only legal way to dispose of domestic animal carcasses is to have them cremated. They cannot be buried in private property as for sanitary purposes these can also have a negative impact on groundwater.

However she said that the law ‘turns a blind eye’ when it comes to small animals such as rats, birds and rabbits as these under natural circumstances also die in fields and streets around the country.

“Animals should live and die with dignity. When we provide animals with a dignified resting place, we are raising their status in people's minds, and that a good thing.  However, when there are so many other pressing priorities that are needed to help living animals, a columbarium which is unlikely to be used, should not be top priority and money should be used elsewhere,” Bezzina said.