Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541244
SOME might recall how animal activist Romina Frendo helped identify the Sliema cat killer, while highlighting the need to address animal abandonment in light of the cat sanctuary she opened on her house roof. It struck me profoundly, to the extent that I delved deeper into the pressing issue. Basically, she argued that Malta is facing an abandon- ment crisis and that a rise in food and vet costs, social cases and an ageing population are all leading to more cats being left in the street. Cat abandonment is a global issue, particularly prevalent in countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Brazil, and Italy, where stray populations are high and often neglected or killed. Many countries, including the UAE and Azerbaijan, use lethal measures like poison traps or culling, while others, like some European and North American nations, rely on animal shelters and rescue groups to care for abandoned animals through spay/neuter initiatives, foster- ing, and adoption programmes. The impact of animal aban- donment goes beyond the pets who suffer from it since it is a public health, safety and fund- ing issue as well. Pet abandonment is an ethi- cal problem. To be able to live a long and happy life, domestic animals need to be with a fam- ily, not even in a shelter. Every animal deserves a dignified life, and abandoning an ani- mal raised in captivity can be a sentence. The lack of fund- ing and personnel is common in shelters, and this affects the animals. While it should not be disput- ed that animal abandonment is expensive, the issue goes beyond the healthcare and ad- ministrative costs of managing stray animals, with other hu- man interests being affected. For example, we had quite a few cases in Malta of abandonment of animals leaving an ecological impact, being, as they were, ex- otic animals and thus becom- ing invasive species. But going back to animal ac- tivist Romina Frendo; the main question to be extensively re- searched is, why are so many pet cats being abandoned? Many saw lockdown as the ideal chance to get a cat. But ever since, a huge number of pets started being abandoned, and rescue charities are to- day completely overwhelmed, with activists like Romina not only herding cats but also ac- commodating them, with the consequence that practically all available shelters are rapid- ly approaching breaking point due to, besides other reasons, receiving a steady stream of newborns, along with pregnant cats. Out there in the open, large colonies of feral cats have sprung up and are multiplying exponentially. And then there is the increasing number of often beloved pets being relin- quished by their owners, who can no longer look after them or afford their care. This practically amounts to a national cat-astrophe, driven by the boom and bust in pet ownership since the pandemic and, lately, mounting pressure placed on owners by rising costs and insecure housing. It really has become a scramble to try to find spaces for aban- doned cats and other pets. This recent surge of cats needing help is probably one of the worst in memory. It's truly unbecoming to see people who go to greater lengths to ensure that their pet won't return home or can't be traced back to them. They put them in a box, take them for a long drive or a long walk, put them there and then take off. I personally know of someone who found a sealed cardboard box containing two adult cats and two kittens, dumped in a car park. It's unbelievable how micro- chipping is not yet a legal re- quirement in Malta for exist- ing pet cats, despite it being proposed and recommended by the Animal Commission- er since way back in 2022. Of course, even that would be just piecemeal protection. For most cat owners, the idea is unthink- able, and it's just reflective of callousness. The surge in strays probably reflects our somewhat contra- dictory ideas about cat owner- ship. It's either that we think of them as pets or just as a part of the wild that we can invite inside, so we can also say, 'Go back to the wild.' The problem gets bigger and more complicated as abandoned pets give birth to first-generation ferals, even going on to form sizeable colo- nies, thus burdening veterinary services and resulting in long waiting lists. With dogs, a lot of progress has been made thanks to iden- tification. In contrast, who- ever has a cat at home seems to assume that the cat doesn't need to be identified because it won't go out. An unacceptable lack of ed- ucation and enforcement con- tinues to force street dogs and cats to endure daily struggles for survival against abuse and mistreatment. 9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 NOVEMBER 2025 OPINION Mark Said Animal abandonment: What can be done? Veteran lawyer The impact of animal abandonment goes beyond the pets who suffer from it since it is a public health, safety and funding issue as well It's truly unbecoming to see people who go to greater lengths to ensure that their pet won't return home or can't be traced back to them