Ariadne Massa
Dog saviour rescued from jail
But faces another court case next week
Dog lover Rennie Scicluna was greeted outside the prison gates by his Alsatian named Morrison and friends on Monday, after the public raised enough money to pay off his fines and bail him out.
Sitting on a rickety chair outside City Gate, Valletta, with Morrison and his stalwart helper Maria Jenkins yesterday morning, Mr Scicluna was trying to raise more money ahead of next week's case involving pending fines of €600.
Passers-by were coming up to him asking if the fund was geared for "the dog lover's release", little realising they were speaking to Mr Scicluna himself. When it sank in, they smiled, gave their donation, and told him to keep up the good work.
The 53-year-old man had been imprisoned for 26 days last Wednesday because he could not afford to pay fines of €320 which he incurred after keeping strays in a derelict building in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq and disturbing the neighbours. Mr Scicluna's predicament was featured in The Sunday Times this week.
"I am indebted to all those who came forward to help - I would still be behind bars if it weren't for people's kindness," he said.
Ms Jenkins said enough money had been raised to pay off the debt of €320.
However, she was unable to say how much had been raised exactly, because although several had pledged donations she was still waiting to receive the money: "I never say anything until I have the money in hand".
Mr Scicluna's story goes back a few years. Unable to bear seeing sick or abandoned animals on the streets he began to pick them up, housing them at the former Palm Beach Restaurant, now an abandoned building.
The number of dogs started increasing and so did the complaints from residents, who lived just metres away and could no longer tolerate the incessant barking 24 hours a day, or the fact that the place had turned into a slum.
Residents' grievances reached the authorities' ears and Mr Scicluna was threatened with evictions. In 2006, Joan Baker, a retired English lady with a big heart, intervened to rescue Mr Scicluna from his predicament. She roped in Noah's Ark, an animal welfare organisation in Mellieħa, and together they re-homed some 40 dogs, relieving Mr Scicluna of his burden and getting the authorities off his back.
The situation calmed down temporarily but in the past year, unable to helplessly watch injured animals on the street, Mr Scicluna began to collect the strays again, taking them back to old compound in Baħar iċ-Cagħaq to nurture them back to health.
The situation was back to square one. Residents started complaining again and Mr Scicluna was taken to court because the unpaid fines kept piling up. Now back on the streets, Mr Scicluna acknowledges that he has to move out of the makeshift sanctuary but he feels that he, together with the 19 dogs, are in limbo.
"I don't wish to remain at Baħar iċ-Cagħaq because the situation will repeat itself. I just wish that somebody would give me the land where I can keep abandoned animals without being a nuisance to anybody," he said.
Mr Scicluna has been described as a saint by his supporters and an uncouth person by his critics. Animal organisations questioned the conditions he kept his animals in. However, everybody agreed that Mr Scicluna had his heart in the right place and loved dogs unconditionally. Mario Spiteri, director animal welfare promotion services, believes the vicious cycle is being perpetuated by irresponsible people who are abandoning their pets on the streets.
Dr Spiteri stressed that while he appreciated people's sympathy towards Mr Scicluna, the man had to regularise his position, like other non-governmental organisations.
"We would be in a better position to help people like Rennie once he regularised his position with audited accounts," Dr Spiteri stressed.
Mr Scicluna's story will be featured in the television programme Wara l-Każ on Sunday on One TV at 9.45 p.m.
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In Discussion
19 Comments
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jenkins maria
Nov 27th 2008, 09:50
hello to everyone im MARIA JENKINS.. RENNIE'S HELPER.. first of all i would like to thanks to all those one who supported rennie's story and to those who understand that the problems that rennie is facing is not HIS PROBLEMS but he is facing the problem of those people who throw there dogs out in the street.. regarding what kevin bussutil sad about the pack of dogs are running in bahar ic caghaq, its not rennie's dogs mr busuttil but people are making this problem.. and if u want rennie to put the dogs that they are running in the streets of bahar ic caghaq,take them in his sanctuary, then the problem is not solved it can only get worse.. or r you one of the persons who prefer to put strays dogs down to solve the problem???. instead of judging people like rennie why don't u do something to help him!!! complain to the AUTHORITY to enforce the law with those who are cruelty and not with those who are trying to defend them.. pls anyone who would like to help rennie and his dogs pls call us on 99130805. MARIA JENKINS
deb bugeja
Nov 13th 2008, 08:03
I do agree that one must respect neighbours. however I condemm the authorities that they should have helped Rennie to find an alternative place to avoid annoying neighbours instead of fineing him and sending him to prison.
Mr Rennie is an example of how one should be towards animals. So please help him, he is doing what the governments should have done long time ago.
Alex Ellul
Nov 13th 2008, 07:57
Quote:
"Mario Spiteri, director animal welfare promotion services, believes the vicious cycle is being perpetuated by irresponsible people who are abandoning their pets on the streets"
Unquote.
The court should not have put Mr. Scicluna in jail, but all those people(?) who abandon their pets heartlessly, irresponsibly and illegally. Harsher fines must be imposed on these law breakers. I know of many people who adopted stray dogs and/or cats. But how much can we bear?
P Muscat
Nov 12th 2008, 20:59
@ K Caruana - Well explained Mr or Ms Caruana.
Yesterday on a local tv station Rennie referred to only 1 neighbour effected in Bahar Ic-Caghaq. I can assure Rennie that his dogs' barking, dirt, nuisance etc are borne by most of the Bahar Ic-Caghaq community which community is certainly much more than 1.
Another important advice : The law is there for all human beings. With all due respect to the dogs the law applies to them as well and thier carers should do well to abide by the law and not ignore it for long years as has been done in this case. Whatever the excuse the law is above all - humans and dogs.
Thou shall respect your nieghbour please....... and your dogs.
Rafel Sammut
Nov 12th 2008, 19:12
@ J Farrugia
You obviously dont have a dog and are not an animal lover yourself! Poor animals kick out on the streets by some savages....why should they suffer and be put to sleep! I think its about time people are responsible and not just because they get bored of having a dog they throw it out!!
A BIG well done to Rennie Scicluna.!!
philip pace
Nov 12th 2008, 16:58
I am a dog lover myself and would like to applaud Mr. Rennie Scicluna for his kind work.
I do hope that Dr.Mario Spiteri would not be another bureaucratic clone regarding Mr.Scicluna's plight.
Can the director animal welfare promotion services, guarantee personally that once Mr.Scicluna regularises his position he would be given all the resources that he needs?
It would do him a lot of good regarding his position as director if he helps Mr.Scicluna with plain simple action instead of a mass of words and nothing else which is what usually comes out from bureaucracy
Joseph Calleja
Nov 12th 2008, 16:24
Glad Mr Scicluna is out of jail but you have to respect the neighbors that live around his compound, they are entitled to live without the noise the dogs make. Has Mr Scicluna considered joining forces with Fabio Ciappara at Noahs Ark? Fabio is always asking for volunteers and this might solve a lot of problems for Mr Scicluna and Ms Jenkins. Stray dogs have always been a problem in Malta and the SPCA and the government don't seem to have the initiative or the means to gather all these strays. Noahs Ark will get the help they need and Mr Scicluna will still be able to take care of strays. Something to think about Mr Scicluna!
Good luck
Eric Soames
Nov 12th 2008, 15:59
I agree with K Caruana. I'm all for dog ownership (and I have owned dogs) as long as it doesn't infringe on other people's right to quiet, peace of mind and hygiene. Do-gooder or pest? Sometimes the terms are interchangeable I guess.
Kevin Busuttil
Nov 12th 2008, 15:38
What a nuisance! His dogs are left running, most of the time in packs, in the streets of Bahar ic-Caghaq frightening passers-by.
Bahar ic-Caghaq is not the proper place for such a sanctuary! That place is anything but legal, why applaud him!
KCaruana
Nov 12th 2008, 15:02
It isn't only the incessant barking that has the residents of Bahar Ic-Caghaq complaining about this makeshift dog sanctuary. It's the stink of dog excrements roasting in the summer sun, random burning of unwanted objects and most of all the inadequacy of the premises to keep dogs in any numbers at the old Palm Beach Restaurant. Dogs escape there on a daily basis and are left to roam the streets of Bahar Ic-Caghaq forming packs that are not afraid to threaten humans or other pet animals, often killing the latter, especially if they are cats. Have you ever tried walking home from the Bahar Ic-Caghaq Bus Stop having to pass by a growling pack of dogs?! A very unpleasant experience I can assure you!
Rafel Sammut
Nov 12th 2008, 14:37
WHAT A LAD !!
s.bugeja
Nov 12th 2008, 13:41
Glad to know that Mr. Scicluna is back with his dogs. The problem seems to be that Rennie isn't going through the right channels but using only his heart to do his job. What is needed is for someone in the know to guide him and thus avoid these brushes with the law. it would be a sin to lose such a dedicated man. His heart is in the right place but in this world of beaurocracy one needs to know where to tread.And this is more so where animals are concerned since they have no vote.
carmen caruana
Nov 12th 2008, 13:28
oooh god, so all those shooting protected and even not protected birds(because they are still living birds even if they are not protected) are free in our countryside just because they are about 7,000 that means 7,000 votes and this man who saves animal lives is in jail. I try to give you a donation for your fines until justice is done........Good luck my friend :)
Steve Rogers
Nov 12th 2008, 12:20
Dr. Spiteri it is not all those people and organizations that pick up strays from the street thus relieving the Government of a problem that needs to regularize their position but the people who abandon and mistreat these poor animals.
It is also the Government that has to regularize its position. It can not keep depending on others to take up social responsibility. In two consecutive budgets we heard how the Government was going to do something (a hospital indeed!) and nothing concrete has really materialized. Furthermore, people go to jail for mistreating animals in other civilized countries; when will similar penalties be applied in Malta?
Rather then jailing this man, the government should have provided assistance in an ethically sound manner instead of aggravating the situation.
MEPA was at the forefront of persecuting this man; can the Authority state how many people it sent to jail for killing protected species or chopping down protected trees?
V Farrugia
Nov 12th 2008, 11:50
Well done to Rennie Scicluna for his efforts.
Joseph Pace
Nov 12th 2008, 11:47
I have attended to performances given by Mr Scicluna and Morrison to raise awareness to their noble cause. Mr Scicluna is a big man with a bigger heart, to throw him in jail was a case of putting the cart before the horse and a shameful day for our society. He is a do-er against all odds and that in itself is commendable. We should learn how to make the best out of people like him, for instance we could ask him to tour schools with Morrison, it would be an interesting break from the curriculum but a very important lesson for our little ones. If this man is willing to work, argue and struggle and even go to jail for his dogs, I only wish I had a friend like him.
J Farrugia
Nov 12th 2008, 11:46
much ado about nothing. who will save me from prison if I do not pay fines imposed on me? Where are those liberal relativist 'christians' whose heart will leap for a pig instead of for fellow human beings? And he wants a piece of public land to gather roaming dogs whose masters have given them the boot. Another one who will shout for public funds. Put them to sleep and let's do away with these teatrini tal-genn.
victor caruana
Nov 12th 2008, 10:25
how about help from the church?
Ivan Galea
Nov 12th 2008, 10:02
SHAME ON OUR DOUBLE FACED SOCIETY....putting a man in jail for not paying EUR320 in fines...and for a good cause...I am ashamed at being called Maltese...lest ALL those who are not paying their dues end up in a similar fashion....(if this were to happen the whole of Paola would not suffice as a Prison extension)