People adopted over 500 cats and dogs from animal welfare shelters last year
Figures were tabled in parliament on Tuesday
People adopted 337 dogs and 178 cats from the government's animal welfare shelters last year.
The figures were tabled in parliament on Tuesday by animal rights minister Anton Refalo.
He was replying to parliamentary questions by PN MP Ivan Bartolo.
The Animal Welfare Directorate's shelters work to rehome abandoned and stray animals. The adoption process generally involves several steps to ensure a good match between the animal and its new family.
In April last year, Times of Malta reported that animal welfare organisations were grappling with a significant surge in rehoming requests from pet owners facing financial hardship.
One animal activist who assisted with rehoming reported receiving 15 to 20 requests to rehome cats weekly, driven by escalating costs in animal food and medical care.
In light of this, last year the government announced it was offering €70 vouchers for veterinary or training services for pets adopted from the Animal Welfare Directorate.