PN presses for answers on closed Ta' Qali animal hospital
Party vows to reopen facility with expanded services if reelected
The Nationalist Party has pledged to reopen the Ta’ Qali animal hospital and expand its services if elected into government.
In a statement on Saturday, PN MP and shadow minister for animal welfare Janice Abela Chetcuti noted that the facility has now been closed for 26 months, with the government not saying when it will reopen or offering alternatives in the meantime.
“This has left pet owners living in constant fear that, should their animal require emergency care at unusual hours, they may lose their companion forever. Sadly, such cases are reported almost every week,” she said.
“A new Nationalist Government is committed not only to reopening the Animal Hospital and restoring this vital project, but also to expanding the services it offers. It will create further benefits for those who feed and care for abandoned animals, provide stronger support for the protection of farm animals, and introduce additional safeguards for exotic species,” Abela Chetcuti said.
The Ta’ Qali facility closed in 2023 following extensive damage to equipment caused by a power surge. The government last year pledged to reopen it in 2025 but has said little about those plans since then.
In July, the Animal Welfare Ministry said that it would be launching a new scheme that would provide 24/7 veterinary services for pets through various private clinics. The Malta Veterinary Association said it was in “advanced” talks with the government to launch the scheme but said the reopening of a fully equipped animal hospital remained “essential to safeguarding standards of care.”