Can anybody help?

I refer to the Weekender article by Kristina Chetcuti under the same heading (October 19). While we welcome any criticism which might improve animal welfare in Malta, we feel we should clarify some points mentioned by Ms Chetcuti, particularly where SOS Animals Malta is concerned.

First of all, we would like to make it clear that SOS Animals Malta is not a rescue organisation, even though the member societies do perform rescues whenever possible.

SOS Animals, as Ms Chetcuti herself has acknowledged, is an animal welfare fund set up to provide money to help animal welfare societies and individuals to pay for animal welfare related bills.

Of course this is only possible when funds are available. A copy of the bank statement will be sent by e-mail to whoever requests it.

Ms Chetcuti says that she did not manage to contact any SOS Animals member to comment on the article before publication. I am informed that Ms Chetcuti was even given the workplace address of a member of SOS Animals, which is not far away from The Times office, but she failed to call at his office.

Moreover, she could always have e-mailed SOS Animals at our e-mail address, which is clearly displayed on the website which she visited.

Also, she could have asked her colleagues at The Times, with whom we have an excellent working relationship and with whom we often correspond.

SOS Animals, like most animal welfare societies in Malta, cannot guarantee a 24 hour rescue service, simply because we lack the money and resources to provide and guarantee the service.

Most members in animal welfare societies do their animal welfare work voluntarily and without being paid a cent for their work. This creates a difficulty since these volunteers have to do an animal welfare unrelated day job to live, and this leaves little time to do animal welfare work.

While most people enjoy their free time going out and enjoying themselves, many animal welfare volunteers spend their free time working with animals.

Unfortunately it is these people who are usually criticised, and not those who do nothing to help.

Perhaps, whenever the government re-instates the Animal Welfare Council, one item which may be discussed would be the setting up of a government subsidised 24 hour rescue service and aftercare centre.

Until this happens, with the limited funds and resources animal welfare societies in Malta have, no animal welfare society can guarantee a 24 hour rescue service.