John Ivens, Marsascala
Expensive emergency call for a vet
I was woken up at midnight recently by a member of the St Francis Foundation, who I know well.
There was an injured dog which had been hit by a car. Would I phone the 500 number for the duty vet, which is only available from a landline? He only had a mobile.
I was unnecessarily detained with irrelevant questions. The 500 number is €5 per minute.
It cost me €15. It is an absolute scandal that someone is profiting from an animal's distress, delaying the time to get the animal treated. Imagine if we had to pay €5 or €10 to call an ambulance?
Perhaps the Malta Veterinary Association would like to comment. We need to know who is profiteering from the 500 number revenue? Why is there no freephone emergency number?
St Francis Foundation and Les Morgans rescued this dog. St Francis has been given two veterinary vehicles but cannot use them as the government refuses to waive the duty payable.
By the way, we are still waiting to hear from the government to admit who is responsible for all the oranges wasting on the trees or rotting on the ground on many state properties such as San Anton Gardens, because no government department will admit responsibility. (See my letter of December 31 and the Department of Information's reply on January 3.)
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S.Calleja
Jan 29th 2009, 19:11
If you really loved animals, you certainly wouldn't have minded paying €15 to save a dog's life. Having said that, I agree that €5 per minute is definitely expensive for a mobile phone call. Maybe it's like that to deter the pranksters?
A.Mizzi
Jan 29th 2009, 08:22
Go on Dr. Pullicino organise a Press Conference and release these ambulances and maybe even take an inaugural ride in one of them to launch the service.
If our four legged friends do not have votes their owners and animal welfare activists have.
Charles Grech
Jan 28th 2009, 22:57
Police officers alerted us about an injured dog in Paola. We rushed to the scene assisted by Ms. Francis Napier of the Les Morgans Animal Shelter.
We tried to contact the Emergency Vet Service from both the Paola police station and via the Police General Head Quarters in Floriana. Unfortunately even from these strategic police premises one cannot reach the 500 emergency number. I suggest that the Malta Veterinary Associaton - MVA - drops the word "Emergency" from this service as we wasted around one whole hour beating about the bush till we could get through via the generous help of Mr. John Ivens who was waken up past midnight to attempt to reach the 500 "emergency" number from his land line. Our grateful thanks goes also to the vet on duty - Dr. Mauro Buttigieg who treated the dog.
As for the Animal Ambulances donated to the St. Francis Foundation for Animals your are all correct. The present government can only boast with window dressing just before every election. More than 40,000 animal lovers will answer with our votes to give animal rights a prosperous future.
FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU
FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME.
Carmel Serracino-Inglott
Jan 28th 2009, 21:17
Kurt mifsud KM. I disagree completely with what kurt mifsud said and I suggest that politics should not be meddled with animal welfare. For example I strongly recommend the government to waive the duty on the said cars to be used as anima ambulances but this is a civil service problem. The government promised to start helping 2 elections ago and not 4 is KM invents. And the government DID start helping those who asked for help. It was this government who started helping giving hard cash and not bla bla bla. Facts speak.
i fully agree that some are benefiting through the grieviances of injured pets. I also received a distress call from Poala about an injured cat last Tuesday . I went on the spot picked up the cat and took her to the vet. I spent 2 moblie calls and some fuel. Thanks to the vet for helping the poor cat out of its misery. Thanks to the couple who alerted me. Animal lovers should stick together whatever their political believes. Therefore those who attack the government hiding behind animal welfare are not animal lovers, far from it. Km and others leave politics for other subjects PLEASE
laurence schembri
Jan 28th 2009, 19:10
Kurt, you forgot to mention the promised Animal Hospital promised some fifteen years ago. As for the Ambulances, one wonders how long it took Austin Gatt to put his Jaguar on the road and at what cost.
monica muscat
Jan 28th 2009, 14:21
I came to know about the problem with the ambulances for St. Francis Foundation quite a number of months ago. What a shame! I hoped that the problem had been solved. Those in power do something please! Would it put the Government soo much out of pocket?!
Kurt Mifsud
Jan 28th 2009, 13:55
The PN has been promising funds, facilities and much more staff for animal care and welfare for the past 3 or 4 elections now, and still nothing done! Maybe it's because it's not an issue that will win a good number of votes...
J. Borg
Jan 28th 2009, 10:42
The scandalous retention of two ambulances for being released to St. Francis Foundation - shows how hollow this GonziPN's pledges on animal welfare are.
I wonder what cheek government ministers and officials have to present themselves as God's gift to Malta - when they simply live off our taxes and fail so miserably and/or act so heartlessly in such cases.
St. Francis Foundation and a number of NGOs who really hold animal's interests at heart, can ran any related Ministry at a fraction of the cost and with real effective results!