Water points for dehydrated horses need to be installed around Valletta so they can quench their thirst as they take tourists around the capital, say international animal welfare experts.

Simon Pope and Joe Anzuino, from World Animal Protection, inspected some karozzin horses this week, following up on another visit five years ago by another two experts.

There has been marked improvement since then, as more shelters were put up along the horses’ route. However the lack of water points for the animals presents problems.

“The horses are in a very good physical condition and well looked after, but they are suffering from thirst,” Mr Pope, the NGO’s communications director, said.

Brought over by the Animal Rights Coalition, Mr Pope accompanied his colleague, Dr Anzuino, a vet, who inspected at least 20 horses between Tuesday and yesterday.

Myriam Kirmond from the Animal Rights Group, accompanied by Simon Pope and Joe Anzuino (left and right) from World Animal Protection.

“Every horse that was offered a bucket of water drank it, showing that they were thirsty. We have seen horses going up Sarria hill, in Floriana, reaching out for the fountain’s trough on hearing the water flow,” Mr Pope told this newspaper.

Transforming this fountain into a water point for the horses will be one of the recommendations WAP will be sending to the authorities, suggesting a series of water points and more shelters around Valletta. The only working water point is at the waterfront.

WAP suggests that a water point at the Upper Barrakka, which was suspended due to works, and another one off St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, which is not connected to the water mains, start providing water for the horses.

There is one other water point, opposite the shelter near the Mediterranean Conference Centre. However, this is on a private site and locked, and cabmen cannot leave a horse on its own while they cross the street and ask the owner to grant them access.

Mr Pope said on average, horses needed 10 gallons of water a day.

WAP’s call for more water points was reiterated by one of the cabmen who showed them around. He said karozzin owners have for years been calling for better conditions for their horses.

Questions sent to the animal Rights Parliamentary Secretariat remained unanswered.