[WATCH] PN presents bill to ban permanent chaining of dogs

PN presents bill to ban permanent chaining of dogs

The Opposition has presented a draft law that calls for the permanent chaining of dogs to be abolished.

The Bill – drafted by Opposition MP and animal rights spokesperson Mario Galea – also calls for the prohibition of choke collar and electronic collars.

It contains provisions that allow dogs to be leashed when being transported, taken out for a walk, and at the vet.

Animal welfare officials will be allowed to instruct dog owners to temporarily tether aggressive dogs.

Punishments for guilty dog owners will be set according to the Animal Welfare Act, with imprisonment as a possible charge. 

"Research shows that chaining dogs 24/7 only makes them more aggressive," Galea said as he presented the bill to Speaker Anglu Farrugia.

"When threatened, dogs have the option to fight or flee. Chaining them up leaves them with only one option."

He said that that an animal welfare NGO has praised the bill as one that will finally give independence to dogs.

The private members’ bill was announced last week by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil during a PN conference on animal rights.

Animal rights parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes has insisted that the government had already planned to abolish permanent chaining before the PN declared its stance.