Tuesday, 7th July 2009
Lapping it up
Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.
The husky found abandoned down a Żurrieq cliff face with a 30-foot rope tied around its neck is happily recovering under the cool air of two fans at Noah's Ark animal sanctuary in Mellieħa.
Noah's Ark founder Fabio Ciappara said the dog, which must have spent at least three days balanced on a tiny ledge two storeys down, was still ravenous after his misadventure and yesterday devoured three bowls of food.
"We have named the dog Cliff after he was rescued from the Żurrieq cliffs. He is very loving, gentle and grateful to be with us," he said.
Noah's Ark received more than 70 calls from people wanting to adopt the beautiful dog. However, Mr Ciappara said the sanctuary was planning to find Cliff a home abroad, where it could enjoy a cooler climate.
A Maltese-Canadian was looking into how much it would cost to take the husky back with him and Noah's Ark called its contact in Germany to find it a home there.
"We are against the importation of dogs, such as this husky, to Malta. These breeds are not made for a hot climate and they suffer too much," he said.
Noah's Ark, which runs the government-funded animal ambulance service, said those who required ambulance services to rescue animals were urged to call the local police station. Mr Ciappara said the calls should be made to the police as opposed to directly to Noah's Ark in order to eliminate prank calls. They had already received such calls sending the ambulance on a wild goose chase, he added.
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the authorities should acknowledge these people for doing something out of their time to help to ease these poor creatures. Well done Fabio and all the other who took part in this act.
Of course I love my dogs. My live revolves around them and that is why I disagree with such generic statements. Most animals do not live in there original habitat and so they had to adapt to live in such environments.
Since when cattle that used to graze in pastures are now locked up in sheds? Snakes and other exotic reptiles kept in aquariums, zoo animals in cages just to mention a few.....
All this started because some sick person threw such a loveable and lovely creature over a cliff. Let us just get together and fight against cruelty of this kind and do not get into the merits whether such dogs should be living in hot climates or not!!!!
Your argument that the dogs have been exported from their native Arctic to other places all over the world does not change the fact that they would suffer the heat more terribly than anyone else thanks to the fact that in their native habitat the average winter temperature hovers around -34 degrees C and summer highs hover around -1.5 degrees C.
I have no doubt that you love your dogs greatly and do the best for them in the circumstances, however, their presence in Malta and other hot countries is cruelty.
For your info these dogs adapt to the tempretures and are found worldwide even in South Africa. They adapt so much that they shed all their coat at this time of the year. I have two dogs whose parents were imported from Italy where the tempreture falls below zero in winter and reaches up to 40 degrees in summer so with your reasoning it is even worse for them.
As for keeping them in a/c rooms does not make sense. The most important is that you do not keep them in direct sun light and keep the kennels well ventilated. They need their daily walk twice a day so the best time to walk them is either early morning and late evening.
Please be well informed before you make such statements!!!!
And please don't justify yourselves by saying that you keep the dog in an air-conditioned room during the day. They were not meant to live in temperate climates. Full stop.
Franco Farrugia has made a great point - what if it had been 'just' a mongrel? Would anyone have offered to adopt him? Some 18 months ago the Island Sanctuary admitted 'Shot' - a male 'kacca cross' dog who'd been shot at point blank range by some bastards (never were caught - as usual!) Poor Shot is still there, waiting for a home!
My question: would have people been so numerous in phoning in and asking to adopt Cliff, had it been any other kind of dog, a dog that some bright sparks might describe as an 'ugly dog'?
Point made, I hope.
Well done, Fabio!
"Noah's Ark, which runs the government-funded animal ambulance service, said those who required ambulance services to rescue animals were urged to call the local police station. Mr Ciappara said the calls should be made to the police as opposed to directly to Noah's Ark in order to eliminate prank calls. They had already received such calls sending the ambulance on a wild goose chase, he added."
How about calling the district police instead of Mater Dei Hospital when one needs to be rushed to hospital.
In today's modern tehcnology prank callers can be easily traced.
A three digit number directly connected to Noah's Ark Animal Ambulance is a must if this service is to be taken seriously.
Lets not repeat the same story of the "EMERGENCY VET SERVICE"
The next thing that we will now hear is that this service will only reached from a land line phone.
The animal ambulance should not be sent to emergencies if the caller's identity is whitheld.
VERY SIMPLE.
On a more positive note a deserved WELL DONE to Fabio et all.
These dogs are indeed wonderful but making them experience Maltese summers could be considered a form of cruelty. If people stop buying such breeds here, maybe the misguided breeders will give up.
-the breed requires lots of exercise - at least twice a day
-the dog would `blow` all its coat twice a year (yes, you will experience fur in your coffee if you keep it in your house – as it should be)
-these dogs have `pack` instincts, leaving them alone in a garage or a balcony is cruel, especially the latter in hot weather
-the breed tends to have a mind of its own but a loving owner would immediately notice that what you invest in terms of behaviour is rewarded with loyalty and lots of love
-if you consider yourself a loving owner, then a 24/7 air-conditioned room is a must for this dog to be in a comfortable environment.
If you are not prepared for the above mentioned responsibilities / expenses... then forget about adopting an Alaskan Malamute.
I still say that the dog is a Malamute not a Husky.
Malamutes resemble Huskies and together with Huskies are used for Sled pulling too here in Canada.
They are more bulky and chubby.
What makes it worse is that they have a much thicker coat of fur and so ill fit for Maltese Summers.
These dogs suffer in Summer and shed their fur heavily... wait till the season is over and see the dog gaining in visual size for Winter (which is not even cold enough for it).
Mr Ciappara explained very well why he would want to send the dog abroad and not find him a home in Malta. It has nothing to do with the MALTESE being capable to take care of the dog but more likely that these dogs are not made for HOT climates like in Malta. Those dogs are used to cold snowy weather i.e. that's why they have such a thick coat. Before writing down such comments one should read through the whole article first.
in your opinnion, aren't the Maltese capable enough to give Cliff a loving home? Case in point....in Tune In magazine of last May, a puppy was featured for adoption. He too was found layiny in Zejtun barely alive. A kind lady took him hin, nursed him back to FULL health from her own expences, back into the bouncy pup he once was. Then featured him in the magazine. At 9am she got a call ....first of the many to follow, asking to give Ċikku the loving home and a second chance he deserves.
Mr Ciappara, like this lady who rescued Ċikku, she rescued a Weimarimer aswell. All out of her own pocket. Not asking for funds and not making a public thing about it.
So put your feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds, and let some Maltese family give Cliff a loving home he deserves.
why do we think that we have feelings whilst animals don't. We get angry just because somebody upsets us, this dog was nearly killed by a human, and will still love other humans.
this is sick. hopefully the person who tried this will feel the same pain one day or the other.