Over a century of working for animals
MSPCA has over 120 years of history-making us the oldest home for dogs and cats in Malta. Over the years the organisation has changed along with the times. From it’s humble beginning was back in 1900 MSPCA has always adapted to the times. Today MSPCA is Malta’s largest animal welfare organisation.
Our history
1900: RSPCA formed an overseas branch in Malta by statute.
1937: RSPCA Malta starts using the premises in Floriana which now serves as a rehoming centre for cats and dogs.
1937: RSPCA Malta was tasked by the government of the day to round up all stray cats and dogs in Malta and Gozo, in exchange for ẁages for two drivers and half the wages of a “kennel maid”, Lm0.12 per dog and Lm0.10 per cat per day for their accommodation, and LM0.06 per dog and Lm0.05 per cat for their destruction.
1964: Malta gains independence.
1964: RSPCA Malta changes its name to reflect Malta’s independence and becomes SPCA Malta.
1981: Above agreement was last updated.
1991: SPCA Malta recognises advances in Veterinary research and adopts a more humane protocol for euthanizing cats.
2004: Lm 9,000, the amount is given by the government based on the above agreement, was 1/5 of the cost of running the rehoming centre.
2004: SPCA Malta committee decided that the funding from the government was not sufficient to justify its work, especially since the existing agreement made it mandatory that SPCA Malta euthanize healthy animals on a regular basis. The agreement was not renewed and SPCA Malta became an independent NGO funded entirely by charitable donations.
2009: SPCA Malta successfully negotiates with Dogs Trust UK to fund and run an overseas program lasting 6 years to help reduce the number of stray dogs through neutering and education.
2009: Dogs Trust Malta officially launches its programme in Malta in collaboration with SPCA Malta.
2011: Electronic identification of dogs becomes compulsory for all owned dogs over 4 months old.
2014: Minimum Standards for Animal Sanctuaries Regulations, 2013, come into force with only 6 months’ notice for animal shelters to upgrade their premises.
2015: Dogs Trust Malta’s 6-year programme reaches its completion after a very successful 6 years where over 14,000 dogs were neutered and educational school visits reached over 55,000 children.
2015: Dogs Trust agrees to continue funding neutering and education in the maintenance phase for a further 5 years.
2015: SPCA Malta joins the EU Cat & Dog Alliance.
2015: SPCA Malta stops intakes temporarily to reduce the number of animals housed in line with international trends that showed a positive outcome. This enables SPCA Malta to focus on the animals’ quality of life better and increase efforts to rehome some of the animals that had been at the centre for over 7 years.
2016: SPCA Malta only rehomes animals locally in order to maintain better monitoring post-adoption and be in a position to take the animal back if the adoption fails.
2016: SPCA Malta goes through a re-branding exercise, becoming MSPCA.
2017: MSPCA makes a number of significant changes to its Rehoming Center in Floriana in line with international standards of animal care to improve the welfare of animals and chances of adoption.
2021: MSPCA changes strategy from a Rehoming Centre to becoming a professional animal welfare organisation with a team focusing on campaigns, education, wellbeing and animal rights.
2021: MSPCA becomes a full member of Eurogroup for Animals.