15/12/2025
Update... following the commissioners visit to the sanctuary in Italy, the export of the dogs has been cancelled. We thank the commissioner for this decision.
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Regarding the 20 bully breed type dogs which are due to be sent to a shelter in Italy in a couple of days. We have been in contact with both the current Fleur Abela and the previous commissioner for animal welfare Alison Bezzina. Neither were aware of this. The commissioner for animal welfare is by law an advisory role only, but we believe should have been consulted atleast as a matter of courtesy. Consultation with dog sanctuaries in gozo and malta would also have been appropriate.
Malta has a big problem with too many bully breed type dogs in sanctuaries and at animal welfare, hence the law that came into force a year ago, banning the breeding, selling and importation of bully breed type dogs (those with pedigree certificates are exempt).
If the shelter in Italy is proven to be offering a better home for these dogs than can be offered in Malta, many of which face life where they are, then, this might be a sensible partial solution to the problem. If however the shelter in Italy is as bad as reports of similar shelters on social media imply, that's another matter. We have no information about the intended sanctuary other than it is fully licenced under Italian law, and that apparently it currently holds around 700 dogs. The current commissioner is visiting the sanctuary today, so hopefully the situation will be clearer soon.