Good Samaritan pleads to keep dog sanctuary

An animal lover has been threatened with eviction from a former military structure in Pembroke where he has built a make-shift sanctuary for abandoned dogs.

Rennie Scicluna is worried about the plight of the 10-odd dogs if he is forced to leave the premises.

"I don't know where to take them if I am evicted," he said.

Mr Scicluna has built a wire fence to enclose a structure at the old shooting ranges near the sea to house homeless dogs he rescues from a sure death. With the help of a few other volunteers who have the best interest of animals at heart, he provides them with food and water, together with shelter.

But a few weeks ago Mr Scicluna received an eviction notice from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and is expecting to be thrown out this week.

He admits that he is a squatter but quickly adds that he did not know he was breaking the law when he took over the abandoned area. He simply wanted to help the animals, to give them shelter and nourishment, and not let them run the risk of being run over by cars.

"If I see a dog crossing a main road I will stop to pick him up. I know that if I drove back and saw that it had been run over I would never forgive myself," he said.

Mr Scicluna runs another mini-sanctuary in Bahar ic-Caghaq, with some 20 dogs, but is reluctant to shift the Pembroke animals there.

"If I had the money I would buy a field and take all dogs in but unfortunately I do not have the funds to do this," he said.

Mr Sciberras's pleas are echoed by three mothers - Joanna Grima, Steffie Zammit and Theresa Cassar Torreggiani - who recently started helping him out.

The women are appealing to MPs, especially Environment Minister George Pullicino and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant, to look into the problem of animal cruelty.

Their involvement started two months ago when they "discovered" the make-shift sanctuary in Pembroke.

January's almost non-stop rain, which flooded the cage, coupled with winds blowing sea-spray in the cage's direction resulted in a pack of shivering dogs.

Under the impression that this was a blatant case of animal cruelty, the women reported their find to the police and the Environment Ministry. But on a subsequent visit to learn about the plight of the dogs they met Mr Scicluna.

"Rennie genuinely loves the dogs and endures great hardship for them. It is clear that these dogs reciprocate that love and are happy with him," they said.

The women decided to help Mr Scicluna care for the dogs. Friends provided them with materials to keep the cage dry and protect it from the wind. They gave a hand with feeding the hounds and cleaning the cage, and also with visits to vets. But they admitted that this was no easy task, and the place could not be kept as clean as they wished it to be.

"Rennie acted out of sheer love and respect for these dogs, and we did the same. Despite the loving and generous hearts of the Maltese people, the prevailing culture seems to be a passive acceptance for neglect and abandonment where animal welfare is concerned," they said in a letter to The Times.

They added that this indifference made one wonder about the effectiveness of the Animal Welfare Act.