winners of the first Malta Animal Awards, in pictures
The first winners of the Malta Animal Awards include a diabetic warning dog, a paralyzed cat, and a visually impaired rabbit.
The awards were presented by Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo, Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina and the wife of Prime Minister Lydia Abela on Monday evening on World Animal Day. The ministry received 781 submissions for 20 categories, 10 for humans and 10 for animals.
Refalo said the awards were created to shed light on positive stories about animals and animal lovers and raise awareness about animal welfare issues.
Among the winners was the cat Olaf, who was awarded the Pet of the Year Award. At just five weeks old, Olaf began to experience health problems, including seizures and became paralyzed. Through therapy and acupuncture, Olaf has managed to regain some of his mobility.
The Service Dog Award went to Yukiko, who is the service dog for a 12-year-old girl with diabetes. Yukiko was trained to detect and warn her owner whenever her blood sugar levels were low.
Pete, the customs dog, also won the Best Dog in Uniform. Pete, the five-year-old customs dog, was recruited by the Malta Customs Department in 2018 after a period of training. Peter entered active service on September 20, 2018. Since joining the customs, Pete has collected 84 positive hits.
Another winner was Fonzu, the blind rabbit given the Pet of the Year. The owner of Fonzu is Luke, a young member of the Malta Rabbit club.
Other awards included Best Adopted Pet, Farm Animals, Funniest Animals, Most Deserving Shelter Animals and Best Feathered Friend.