Unregistered Individuals Feeding Stray Cats Face € 50 Penalty

Image Source: The NewYork Times

According to the new rules it is illegal to feed pets in public space unless they have been licensed by the council of their locality.

The goal is to establish the first ever GPS-identified cat colonies. This is to undergo neutering as an effort to decrease the number of cats that wander around.

The register of cat feeders will also be recorded by two supervisors, named by the minister who is responsible for vet services as well as the minister responsible for local governance which will also contain an inventory of the areas that feed as well as the number of cat colonies and the total number of cats that reside in each colony.

Every feeder has to provide the feeding location for every colony using GPS coordinates for all of their colonies. They must also provide the total number of cats that reside in every colony, the amount of neutered cats, as well as in the event that they have their microchip information.

Feeders must make sure that the cats living in their colonies are healthy and are free of any diseases. All efforts should be taken to ensure that the cats within the community are neutered. And informing Director of Animal Welfare right away whenever there is an indication of a sick cat, or an outbreak of suspected illness.

Image Source: Safe Haven for Cats

The new rules include an investment of EUR 350,000 and the vouchers scheme that will be distributed to cat food suppliers who are registered who are usually funded by donations and private sources. These vouchers can be exchanged for dry foods to cats, based on a list of approved vendors.

In the year 2000, a federally-funded cat neutering program was launched with the aim of reducing the amount of cats that wander that wander the streets. The campaign comes at an annual cost of EUR200,000.

Three vets, assisted by student run the Naxxar clinic to neuter the most cats as is possible. The feeders are invited to take in their pets to undergo neutering.Animal rights organisations have for a long time been in support of a national cat neutering programme for unwanted strays.