The energy ministry is looking at options to help animal sanctuaries after a young activist drew attention to their plight, sending a letter requesting the waiving of their water and electricity bills during the pandemic months.

In her handwritten plea to Energy Minister Miriam Dalli, nine-year-old Kristina D’Amato asked whether the government could “help all the sanctuaries not pay water and electricity bills during a time when they were no longer able to fundraise”.

“I am sure that the animals will be very happy with some kind of help,” the dog-lover-turned-fundraiser for their cause said.

She signed off hoping to meet Dalli one day “so together we can make the world a better place” and was soon driving to the Association of Abandoned Animals premises, in Birżebbuġa, in the minister’s car to participate in a corporate social responsibility event and donate food and other items to the dogs there.

And once you do get a dog, make sure to give it a home and keep it with you all its life

The visit was sparked by the letter, which also instigated the ministry’s promise to continue helping out, although it did not yet commit to removing or reducing utility tariffs.

Last summer, Kristina and her friends doubled her target to raise €2,000 for food for the abandoned dogs at the Island Sanctuary by creating jewellery and bookmarks and selling them on the streets.

The mission to feed the dogs for one entire month became two when she collected over €4,000 from the initiative instead.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli with young animal activist Kristina D’Amato at the Association for Abandoned Animals shelter.

Back then, when the sanctuary could not afford to organise fundraising activities for fear of one of its volunteers contracting the virus and leaving no one to take care of the dogs, Kristina took on the job. But, due to rising novel coronavirus cases, she was no longer allowed to fundraise for animal sanctuaries after the summer holidays, so she came up with another way to try and help.

In response to the letter, Dalli invited an excited Kristina to attend the recent Association of Abandoned Animals event, where she discussed her idea.

Kristina’s mother, Rebecca, said she was determined to follow it up and keep going.

On the occasion, Dalli pointed out that, during the pandemic, many people bought dogs only to decide months later that they did not want to keep them. Many ended up in animal sanctuaries in the hope of adoption.

During the recent visit to the Association of Abandoned Animals sanctuary, which, in one day alone, had received nine abandoned dogs, Dalli appealed to the public to adopt rather than buy a pet.

“And once you do get a dog, make sure to give it a home and keep it with you all its life,” the minister urged, backed by Kristina, who joined in to encourage everyone to “adopt not shop” when it comes to pets.

As part of the energy, enterprise and sustainable development ministry’s “direct contribution to our community”, Dalli and her team donated 300 kilos of food and other items to the animal sanctuary.