Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1481540
16 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 OCTOBER 2022 NEWS ACROSS 1) Emulate a quarterback 5) Leak through slowly 9) Prepares for a boxing match 14) With the bow, to a violinist 15) All done 16) Hushed 17) 1986 "fish out of water" film 20) Hot and sultry 21) Condiment in gourmet cooking 22) Perspiration 23) Nicholas I was one 24) Become embedded 27) Tire protector 32) Recede like a tide 35) One way to cook eggs 37) Common beverage 38) Cause for ahem? 42) Edible Pacific tuber 43) Part of a drum kit 44) Ribonucleic acid, famil- iarly 45) Old sailor 48) Rustic poems (var.) 50) Christian Coalition, e.g. 52) ___ Island (immigration landmark) 56) Partial paralysis 60) Not at all harsh 62) Good thing to have in the jungle 64) Farm mudholes 65) Big-mouthed pitcher 66) Noted canal 67) Is inclined 68) "Friends" friend 69) Changes hair colour DOWN 1) Formal accords 2) It points the way 3) Rifle attachment 4) Like a party animal 5) 37-Across, e.g. 6) Opposite of good 7) Anago, really 8) Fourth estate 9) Shape learned in preschool 10) Corny bits of wordplay 11) Verdi classic 12) Walk dizzily 13) Proofreader's direction 18) Multi-armed creatures 19) Unable to hear 23) "Poly" attachment, in school names 25) Have on 26) B-movie machine guns 28) Major ATM manufacturer 29) It can open for you 30) Impressive style 31) Pro___ (in proportion) 32) Semiaquatic salamanders 33) Hillside, to the Scottish 34) When doubled, one of the Society Islands 36) Be in charge of 39) "In ___ We Trust" 40) Make an attempt 41) Cosmetics queen Curtis 46) Be preoccupied with 47) Flippant 49) Assaulted with goo 51) Purple willow, e.g. 53) Distrustful 54) Private film producer, informally 55) Eyelid lumps 56) Whispered attention-get- ter 57) Poker pay-in 58) Fonn of precipitation 59) Barely managed 60) Bottom of the barrel 61) Does the wrong thing 63) A couple F Solution to last week's crossword The answers to today's crossword will be published in next week's Midweek edition Weather Partly to rather cloudy and locally misty at first, becoming fine Visibility Good, locally moderate at first Wind West to Northwest force 3 TODAY TOMORROW Crossword WEATHER HOT & SUNNY HOT & SUNNY 36 0 / 25 0 35 0 / 26 0 FEELS LIKE 38 0 FEELS LIKE 37 0 THE MSPCA has called for the legislation regulating pet-sitting services after the death of a one- year-old Golden Retriever. "Louie, a healthy, balanced and well-loved Golden Retriever aged one year and four months suf- fered a painful and lonely death at a pet sitter, due to perforation of his organs," the MSPCA said. "He was left unattended in the presence of work materials in- cluding pieces of wood and met- al (fildiferru) which he ingested. Louie was a cherished family member, who was in preparation to start training as a therapy dog." The MSPCA said Louie was "another victim" that ended up injured or dead in the hands of pet-sitters which have no proper oversight or licensing due to the lack of regulation. "No pet should suffer this kind of death and no owner should come back knowing they were away having fun whilst their pets were dying," the MSPCA said on Facebook. The MSPCA said it received several reports concerning dogs who suffered unnecessary pain or death. "Owners are currently only at the mercy of external fac- tors such as reviews and word of mouth, both of which, although indicative are also subjective, when it comes to their determin- ing whether a pet-sitter is compe- tent or otherwise. It is unaccept- able that these services can be offered by anyone looking to earn some extra cash with limited or no knowledge, as well as without the proper time and environment required for the proper care of these beloved pets." It said legislation must also pro- vide for safe and immediate ac- cess to autopsy and proper freez- ing for any size of dog in case of death. "The MSPCA wants to push for regulation to be introduced to regulate and supervise such ser- vices alongside a standard proto- col to follow, which will exclude chances of animal neglect or cru- elty," it said. According to the MSPCA, au- thorisation or licenses should amongst other things, stipulate the number of animals that the place can offer. A ratio balanc- ing the number of dogs per carer should also be introduced in case of pet-sitting services to ensure that each animal is getting the attention they require. An assess- ment of the environment should also be carried out on a regular basis. "Authorisations or licenses should only be given after an in- spection is done assessing wheth- er the premises offer adequate space and appropriate living conditions/services for the ani- mals being taken care of," it said. "Authorisation or licenses can be revoked at any time, upon rea- sonable assessment of infringe- ments to legislation and/or when animal welfare is being side-lined for profit by said services." Similar calls had also been made by the Office of the Commission- er for Animal Welfare back in June 2021, with commissioner Alison Bezzina making official recommendation to the Govern- ment to regularise and license pet sitters, groomers and trainers "Loui's case is just one exam- ple of why this needs to be done asap," the commissioner said. Louie (right) died in the care of a pet-sitter after ingesting wood and metal when left unattended MSPCA calls for the regulation of pet-sitting services after death of one-year-old dog