Appeal for site to be used as dog sanctuary

A group of volunteers is calling on the government to identify a plot of land in Mellieha which it can use as a sanctuary for the ever-increasing number of dogs abandoned in the north of the island.

The group, Noah's Ark, has been battling for the past year to find a piece of land where it can shelter and care for these poor creatures until they find a loving home.

The group has identified two possible sites for the sanctuary, but the government has so far turned down the first proposal.

"All we are asking is for the government to identify an area which we can use. This is voluntary work and the land would remain government property. We are not asking for much," Fabio Ciappara said on behalf of the group.

The group first set its sights on the old radar station, built by the US in the 50s, situated at the end of the road past Torri l-Ahmar in l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha.

"The buildings have been abandoned for years and are in a dilapidated state in the middle of nowhere. They are an eyesore and the used syringes are proof they're utilised by drug users," he said.

The group had already roped in the support of architects, surveyors and builders to advise them and to make the buildings structurally safe for the animals.

A veterinary surgeon also offered to provide medical services and initiate a neutering programme in this prospective sanctuary, which they plan to call Noah's Ark.

However, to the dismay of the volunteers their request was turned down two months later.

A letter sent by the Lands Department informed them that the "area in question forms part of the proposed picnic site as indicated in the Marfa Action Plan. Therefore it's not possible to allocate the said site for the purpose requested".

Mr Ciappara is now proposing a garigue area which covers about three tumoli of non-arable land along the road to l-Imgiebah bay in the limits of Selmun. "This area is perfect to set up a sanctuary because there are no residents there and the inevitable barking will not disturb anyone," he said.

Apart from that, the sanctuary will not disrupt the scenery since the group is only proposing to surround the land with a fence and build a number of kennels which would not be visible from the road.

"We are asking the government to consider this proposal - if it disagrees then we are pleading with it to propose an alternative site we can use," he said.

"We have to set up the sanctuary immediately, so any site will do. There is the need for such a sanctuary in the north of the island."

For the past years Mr Ciappara has been dedicating his free time to feeding and caring for the numerous dogs abandoned in the locality.

"The north of the island is becoming a dumping ground for animals and the perpetrators come to Mellieha in the hope that nobody finds the animals and they can be left to die," he said.

Among the many cases, Mr Ciappara has come across a dog left on a secluded beach in the middle of winter, five puppies dumped in a skip and a dog shot in the eye. Recently, he also forked out Lm70 to buy a Staffordshire bull terrier which was being trained for dog fighting, and took it home to save it from its cruel destiny.

"We often manage to find caring homes for these animals, but our luck is running out. Sometimes when we don't find a home we have to transfer the dogs to a quiet area where we feed them every day - if we had the sanctuary this would not be happening," he said.

"We need the government's help now: the dogs, which are being abandoned or killed, cannot wait two to three months for an acknowledgement letter. All we need is a site for Noah's Ark to materialise".