In a press conference on Monday morning in Marsaskala, ADPD called attention to the party’s clear position on animal rights and against trapping and spring hunting.

Mina Tolu, ADPD candidate on districts 9 & 10, commented that there is still some way to go in addressing the protection and welfare of animals in Malta. In her latest annual report the Commissioner for Animal Welfare reported on the considerable amount of cases she encounters regularly concerning cruelty to animals. Her persistence in addressing this is making a great difference.  Allocating more resources and acting promptly on the recommendations made would greatly increase the effectiveness of the office.

In the past year in particular the public has been alerted to gross dog breeding malpractices and animal cruelty. It is necessary that breeders are more strictly regulated, this is an area that should not be left uncontrolled. Those who have pending cases in court should not be allowed to continue breeding.

Finally, Tolu underlined other measures being proposed by the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare – neutering of strays and microchipping of cats should be implemented with urgency.

Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD chairperson and candidate on districts 4 & 9, reiterated ADPD’s position against spring hunting. He said, “The opening of the spring hunting season in April is a big mistake, turtle doves, a vulnerable species, should be the focus of conservation and not being hunted right before they breed. There is no such thing as sustainable spring hunting.”

“Additionally, as in the past, a spring hunting season will act as a smokescreen for the illegal killing of birds. In February, BirdLife Malta stated that of the 794 illegally shot protected birds in the past eight years – 76% were shot in the last four years alone. These birds are being shot for taxidermy purposes. It is clear that the Government favours to hunters and trappers above anything and anyone else, letting them dominate our countryside. Like the PL, PN is not far behind in favouring the hunting lobby, and pandering for their votes in the last weeks before the election. This is unacceptable.”

“ADPD stands four square with environmental NGOs in Malta, including BirdLife, on this issue. We highlight their call for Malta to fulfil international obligations for bird protection, for bird laws and policies to fall under ERA, and for the establishment of new areas for nature conservation and no hunting zones. If Birdlife proceeds with a call for a fresh referendum against spring hunting, ADPD will fully support such a call,” concluded Cacopardo.

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Pożizzjoni qawwija mill-ADPD favur il-ħarsien tal-annimali u kontra l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa

F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet ġewwa Marsaskala t-Tnejn filgħodu, il-kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party fakkru fil-pożizzjoni ċara tal-partit fejn jidħlu drittijiet tal-annimali kif ukoll dik kontra l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa u l-insib.

Mina Tolu (kandidat fuq id-9 u l-10 Distrett) qalu li għad fadal ħafna xi jsir fil-qasam tal-protezzjoni u l-benesseri tal-annimali f’pajjiżna.

Fl-aħħar rapport tal-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali kien irrappurtat numru konsiderevoli ta’ każijiet ta’ moħqrija ta’ annimali.  Napprezzaw li hi biss il-persistenza tal-Kummissarju li qed tagħmel differenza. Hu meħtieġ li jkunu allokati iktar riżorsi biex il-ħidma meħtieġa tkun tista’ issir dejjem aħjar. Hu meħtieġ ukoll li jkunu indirizzati b’ħeffa ikbar ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet li jsiru għax dan fih innifsu itejjeb l-effiċjenza tal-uffiċċju.

F’din l-aħħar sena b’mod speċjali kien hemm aħbarijiet allarmanti dwar prattiċi mhux f’posthom fejn jidħlu it-trobbija tal-klieb u moħqrija tal-annimali. Hemm bżonn li jkun hemm regolamentazzjoni iktar stretta fuq min irabbi – żgur li huwa qasam li jeħtieġ li jkun ikkontrollat. Sadanittant, dawk li għandhom każijiet pendenti il-qorti m’għandhomx jitħallew li jkomplu jrabbu aktar annimali.

Fl-aħħarnett, Tolu emfasizzaw miżuri oħra proposti mill-Uffiċju tal-Kummisarju għal Ħarsien tal-Annimali, fosthom li l-annimali li jiġru barra jiġu imsewwija u li l-qtates għandhom ikollhom il-microchip kemm jista’ jkun malajr.

Il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo (Chairperson tal-ADPD u kandidat fuq ir-4 u d-9 distrett) tenna il-pożizzjoni tal-ADPD kontra l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa. Hu qal li “il-ftuħ tal-kaċċa tar-rebbiegħa f’April huwa żball ikrah – il-gamiem huma speċi vulnerabbli li għandhom jitħarsu u mhux maqbuda eżatt qabel ma dawn ikollhom iż-żgħar. Prinċipju bażiku tal-protezzjoni tal-bijodiversità. Ma hemm l-ebda mod li l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa tista’ tkun imsejħa sostenibbli.”

“Barra minn hekk, l-istaġun tal-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa dejjem jintuża bħala skuża għal qtil illegali ta’ għasafar, kif diġà ġara fil-passat. Fi Frar, BirdLife Malta qalet li minn 794 għasafar protetti maqtula illegalment fl-aħħar tmien snin, 76% ġew maqtula fl-aħħar erbgħa snin biss. Dawn l-għasafar qed jinqatlu għall-ibbalzmar. Huwa fatt magħruf li f’dan iż-żmien kollu l-Gvern qeda biss lill-kaċċaturi u n-nassaba, billi ħallihom jiddominaw il-kampanja tagħna. Bħal PL, il-PN mhux wisq ‘il-bogħod biex jaqdi lill-kaċċaturi, u jagħmel dak kollu possibbli biex jikseb il-voti tagħhom lejlet l-elezzjoni. Dan mhux aċċettabbli.”

“ADPD hija ħaġa waħda ma’ għaqdiet ambjentali – fosthom il-BirdLife Malta – fuq din il-materja. Nappoġġjaw is-sejħa tagħhom biex Malta taqdi l-obligazzjonijiet internazzjonali għall-ħarsien tal-għasafar, biex il-liġijiet u l-politika dwar dan taqa’ taħt l-ERA, u biex jiġu stabbiliti zoni ġodda għal konservazzjoni tan-natura fejn ma ssir l-ebda kaċċa. Jekk il-BirdLife Malta issejjaħ għal referendum ġdid kontra l-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa, ADPD tkun minn ta’ quddiem biex tappoġjaha,” temm jgħid Cacopardo.