Animal NGOs appeal to animal lovers to vote against spring hunting

Four NGOs that look after stray animals- SPCA Malta, Island Sanctuary, the Association for Abandoned Animals and Noah’s Ark- have issued a joint appeal to animal lovers to vote against spring hunting in the upcoming referendum.

“Everybody who loves animals should vote No in the referendum,” the NGOs said. “Our passion and love for animals is not limited to our four-legged friends, but extends to all animals that need our protection.”

Quoting a report by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, they said that turtledove and quail populations are at their lowest-recorded levels across Europe, and that the turtledove population has plummeted by 77% since 1980.

“It undoubtedly makes no sense to kill quail and turtledove while they are migrating to breed,” the NGOs said.  “We also want public land in the countryside to become accessible once more, so that people who walk their dogs in the countryside can do so without fear.

“We know as a fact that the majority of Maltese love animals, and we appeal to all such animal-lovers to choose life and vote No. Animals can’t vote to protect themselves and, as such, are dependent on our votes.”