Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Welfare Alicia Bugeja Said has confirmed that efforts are ongoing to find homes abroad for dogs that have been stuck in Maltese shelters for years, after plans to relocate a group to Naples were scrapped.The move comes as Malta’s animal sanctuaries continue to operate at full capacity, with authorities pointing to a sharp rise in pet abandonment following the COVID-19 pandemic.A planned transfer of around 20 dogs to a facility in Naples was halted after an inspection by a Maltese veterinary official.While the facility was not deemed inadequate, it did not meet the standards required to justify the relocation, leading to the decision to cancel the move and return all allocated funds as reported by Malta Today.The government is now exploring alternative options, including partnerships abroad, with similar initiatives already seeing animals rehomed in countries such as Ireland.Bugeja Said said Malta currently rescues around 2,000 dogs and cats each year, with €650,000 allocated annually towards animal welfare. Legislative measures have also been introduced, including a ban on the breeding of mixed-breed dogs, aimed at reducing long-term pressure on shelters.She also addressed a recent case involving the killing of a protected Common Kestrel in Gozo, where a man was filmed capturing and killing the bird. Authorities have urged the public to report such incidents directly rather than sharing footage online, warning that this could interfere with police investigations.The case comes amid increased enforcement activity, with the Committee Against Bird Slaughter reporting multiple arrests in recent days linked to illegal hunting. Several birds and trapping equipment were also seized during coordinated operations with police.The kestrel, once extinct as a breeding species in Malta, has only recently begun to re-establish itself, making such incidents particularly concerning for conservation efforts.Separately, Bugeja Said highlighted the launch of a nightly veterinary emergency clinic, introduced to address gaps in out-of-hours care. Since opening, the service has received around 1,300 calls in two months, with roughly half classified as emergencies.Officials say the initiative has already made a difference, with no reported cases of pets dying overnight due to lack of veterinary assistance since its introduction.What do you make of this?•