Victoria project could close down Gozo SPCA

The mud bath that was the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in Victoria could force the closure of the Gozo SPCA Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

It is situated right next to the lorry exit from the construction site, and is suffering from severely restricted access. It is known that the developers made no contact with Gozo SPCA to discuss the impact of the site on the society's need for constant access. There has been no indication of the timescale of the project. The needs of the Gozo SPCA have been totally ignored.

Lorries and diggers regularly block the road access to the centre, often making it impossible for the rescue van to deal with emergencies.

As for approaching the centre on foot: that means wading through mud. When better weather arrives, the mud will be replaced by dust.

Not surprisingly, this is having a severe impact on Gozo SPCA. Delivery vehicles cannot reach the centre and even volunteers find it difficult, and even if they do, often cannot take the dogs out for exercise.

The volunteers' morale is rock-bottom; when some say they cannot continue to help out in such dangerous conditions, who will replace them? The rehoming of animals has nearly stopped - who wants to visit the centre if it means walking through a quagmire? This also affects Gozo SPCA financially, as expenses are up (the centre is full, resulting higher feeding and medical costs) and income is down (fewer donations from visitors, and from rehoming).

Apart from an insignificant donation from the Ministry for Gozo, Gozo SPCA is entirely funded by donations. Gozo SPCA typically takes in 400 animals a year - given current conditions, even if the centre remains open, for as long as the site and the surrounding area is in such a mess, it will be forced to take in considerably fewer animals.

How much longer can it struggle on in these conditions? Who knows, but if it is forced to close, all of Gozo will suffer from more dogs and cats running wild, and those animals themselves will suffer most of all. The developers and MEPA should hang their collective heads in shame.