A lack of animal isolation units in Malta means pets with contagious diseases often risk death as clinics cannot accommodate them, PN MP Janice Chetcuti said on Tuesday.

“The biggest issue for animal welfare remains the ongoing closure of the animal hospital in Ta' Qali,” Chetcuti said, noting that the currently shut hospital had a specific area for treating animals with contagious diseases.

The Ta' Qali animal hospital has been closed since 2023, when a power surge caused extensive damage to several machines. The hospital was expected to reopen by the end of this year, but Education Minister Clifton Grima recently extended the deadline to 2025, with sources blaming tendering issues for the delay.

Once reopened, the hospital, now under the responsibility of MCAST, will also serve as a veterinary training campus for students.

Delays in reopening the hospital are causing real problems, Chetcuti said, particularly for owners whose dogs suffer from parvovirus, “an all-too-common disease” in Malta.

Parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that primarily affects dogs, causing severe gastrointestinal distress and dehydration. It can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Owners of dogs suffering from parvovirus often struggle to find isolation facilities where the animals can be kept away from other dogs and given intravenous treatment, she said.

As a result, dogs often need to be treated at home, Chetcuti said.

“Animals are family members too, and we want to ensure they receive the best possible care,” Chetcuti, who serves as the PN spokesperson for animal rights, said.

A spokesperson for the animal rights parliamentary secretariat, however, said that isolation units in clinics do exist in several Maltese clinics. 

Dogs suffering from Parvo usually do not require overnight stays and are treated within hours before being sent home, the spokesperson said. 

PN MP Chetcuti also said that the hospital’s closure means sick animals are being taken to overcrowded clinics, increasing their risk of exposure to diseases from other animals.

This situation often leaves animals vulnerable to catching diseases from other animals in the clinic.

In response, Animal Rights Junior Minister Alicia Bugeja Said invited Chetcuti to submit any evidence to parliament or forward the matter to the police.