SPCA official rescues cruelly bound dogs

The SPCA has called on the public to help identify the owners of two dogs that were tied to the society's premises during closing hours with a leash so short that the poor animals could not even lie down.

The incident happened last Sunday but luckily the dogs, a Boxer and a Doberman, were rescued by an SPCA official who happened to go along to check on something that afternoon.

Had this not happened, the dogs would have remained tied up all day and all night until Monday morning.

It is not known how long the dogs had been standing in the blistering heat.

Whoever abandoned the dogs did not even bother to provide any water.

SPCA media officer Antoine Vella said that such cruelty was totally pointless considering that the dogs' owners could have waited until Monday morning to take them to the SPCA home, where they would have been accepted without any problem.

Dr Vella said incidents of this kind had become the norm at the home though this was one of the cruellest incidents.

"For example, somebody recently turned up to put their dog down, and when we told them that the vet was not available, they went out and tied it with a rope. These incidents have to stop," he said.

Sadly, the SPCA cannot afford the installation of closed circuit TV which would prevent acts of this kind.

Other animal organisations have found that abandoning animals, an illegal practice, is rife and they have to deal with such cruel acts practically on a daily basis.

The Boxer and the Doberman are up for adoption. The SPCA, which currently homes no fewer than 70 dogs and 120 cats, may be contacted on 2123 4431.

The premises open between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. and noon on Saturdays.