Two animal ambulances launched

Mark Thorogood

Jul 11th 2009, 10:47

Regarding the comments about Gozo SPCA....

A few basic facts seem to have been missed by a number of commentators

The dog was not put to sleep because of lack of space at Gozo SPCA
The dog was not healthy
The decision to put the dog to sleep was not taken by Ms Berry alone

The reason that the dog was put to sleep was because it was very sick with severe anaemia, emaciation and renal failure which is the side effect of advanced sand fly disease or Leishmaniasis. This decision was taken by the vet and Ms Berry, both of whom have extensive knowledge of Leishmaniasis. The Gozo SPCA centre is full, and there is no designated quarantine area due to lack of space, but that is a secondary issue. Gozo SPCA never puts down healthy animals.

Gozo SPCA needs all the support it can get, both in people's time and financially. Allegations based on half truths and outright falsehoods only make the work harder. Please visit www.spca-gozo.org , and think about how you could help the animals of Gozo

isabella peresso fioentino

Jul 11th 2009, 08:53

Mr Cauchi - Where did you get such twisted information? I do voluntary work in a local sanctuary and we too like the AAA home dogs to Germany. We are constantly being posted and sent photos about the dogs we send. Lately a group of volunteers went to visit and they saw our dogs in the most caring, loving beautiful guardians anyone could ever imagine. The Germans are an animal - loving nation you know, unlike us Maltese and these don't dump their unwanted pets inoto the sea, the streets or behind sanctuary gates, like we do.

jeffrey pullicino orlando

Jul 11th 2009, 07:15

This is excellent news. Well done to all involved in this welcome and long awaited development. A big 'prosit' to all those who will be contributing, particularly the volounteers at Noah's Ark!

Steve Rogers

Jul 11th 2009, 00:20

"Next year the animal after care centre in Ta Qali is expected to start operating."

Next year???!!!! It was supposed to open around this time soon. There was even an article in this newspaper to rebut accusations that nothing was being done with pictures showing the foundation of this facility

People don't be fooled. This is just another smokescreen to hide behind the fact that the government hasn't accomplished much yet. This ambulance service is already in place otherwise a speeding ticket wouldn't have been issued. I suggest the Gov pays the ticket as well and issues a legal notice that speeding tickets do not apply to this service.

Prosit Noah's Ark, but shame on the Gov for taking us for a ride!

Charles vella

Jul 10th 2009, 23:09

Mark Vella Bardon you are the person that hit the hammer on the nail . Let us not abuse of the ambulance service the dogs home at Mellieha sanctuaries are packed . our sanctuaries is full of kind heart people that give most of the time for stray dogs . Well done keep it up people that work at sanctuaries

Melvin Tonna

Jul 10th 2009, 22:20

Thumbs up!!!!!! Prosit!!!! I cannot further agree with some comments here saying that this is the best news we have ever read! Grats!!

Animal Lover.

adrian aquilina

Jul 10th 2009, 20:34

mr pullicino would thank the sanctuary as he and this government have done nothing to safeguard animal welfare..a british charity have had to put up money to neuter the stray dogs here..the fines and prison sentences here are next to nothing and maybe like in other countries there should be certain police who work with the sanctuaries and ngo's so arrests etc are done as quick as possible to stop the person abusing more animals.. more checks on homes and farms are needed too and the government must do their job which is the changing of mentalities here.this goes for all things .it is their job.you do not even see any promotional films telling people how much healthier not eating meat is..but then they can't even make the driving safe..never say well done to a minister when it is his job

Franco Farrugia

Jul 10th 2009, 20:20

@ Edwin Formosa - Kemm idejquni certi kummenti bla sens! Ara x'ghandha x'taqsam il-kwistjoni tal-annimali u dik tal-hekk imsejha 'genocidju'! Ghandek nies li qedin apposta fuq il-kwistjoni tal-annimali u ghandek nies ohra li huma fil-kwistjoni tal-genocidju! X'ghandhom x'jaqsmu t-tnejn? Ma nahsibx, le, li inti ridt tawgura success lil din l-attivita daqshekk ta' beneficcju lill-annimali: int ridt biss tghid li l-annimali ma haqqhomx iktar attenzjoni mill-bniedem. U kun af, sur Formosa - iftah ftit l-interess tieghek ha tifhem dak li qed nghid! - li inutli noqghodu nghidu li l-annimali huma inqas mill-bniedem. Dawk li jistqarru hekk huma l-istess nies li qedin ihejju l-mitrah biex joqghodu fuqu dawk kollha li qed ikunu ta' hsara lill-annimali, bhal nghidu ahna min kien dak jew kienu dawk li tefghu lil dak il- kelb huskie minn fuq ghal isfel.

M. Darmanin

Jul 10th 2009, 19:04

I hope they are not fined speeding tickets too like the other animal ambulance was... I mean, the purpose of an ambulance is its speed in getting to where its needed asap... so if these good actions are punished by fines then really... we are taking a step forward and three backwards... especially so since in the picture the words ANIMAL AMBULANCE were visible even to a semi-blind person!

As for the murder of that healthy dog in Gozo... SPCA should be held accountable - I have heard various rumours about healthy dogs & cats being put down to create more space, but now we have a first hand recount of what happened, where SPCA (Gozo) themselves told the persons who had saved the dog that he had been put down... Are the authorties even looking into this??? And the strangled and tortured cats of a few weeks ago??? Please, USE THE FULL FORCE OF LAW, set an example! - it's useless to report these crimes if our courts do not punish these people!
They don't have a voice, we have to speak for them!

Kenneth Galea

Jul 10th 2009, 17:44

@V Pulis Hmmmmmmmm exactly my thoughts........why are we getting the police involved here in particular to stray annimals???? We should be able to ring the Noah's arc direct and cutting out the third party, in this case the third party is clearly the police. The police have enough on their plate and we should not involve them in this case if we are dealing with stray annimals. However cases of annimal cruelty then I understand that the police must be informed as they have the power to bring the culprits to justice!

Rosalind Agius

Jul 10th 2009, 17:33

@ A. Cauchi How can you say that animals homed in Germany are being sent to laboratories? To say this only shows that you just write misinformations you must have heared and not being an actual person in these homings. We of AAA, home dogs as well in Germany and sometimes to Austria. Not only do we get the details of the family - telephone and address, we are sent photos and they invite us to visit them. One volounteer from our organsation met all the volounteers there and even some of the families who adopted. And sometimes we still get information about dogs we homed 4 years ago. We love our animals and we will never even think of sending them to labs. In Germany the mentality with animals is so different from ours. Before you speak, look up the facts and do not tarnish sancturies with such allegations. We only wish we could home more than we do in Germany to give our beautiful animals thier second chance.

martin chetcuti

Jul 10th 2009, 17:23

Well done this is the best news I heard for a very long time regarding animals. Keep it up.

Mark Vella Bardon

Jul 10th 2009, 17:07

Useful comments ... at last injured strays will not be left at the roadside to suffer and die! Telephone MUST be Police HQ, after all any emergency services can be obtained in this manner. No, we don't send our dogs to German laboratories, or laboratories anywhere for that matter. If anyone has positive information of any such export of strays please inform the ANimal Welfare Department, information wil be treated anonymously. This is a very serious matter. Our strays all go to loving homes. Yes all sanctuaries are full, so much so that part of the agreement with the governmetn included contributing for the construction of extra pens for the purpose of housing these injured animals. Our volunteers also provide aftercare of serious cases in their own homes. Anyone anxious to assist us is very welcome to join us and roll up his sleeves.

v.pulis

Jul 10th 2009, 16:53

This is indeed welcome news but I can't understand why the police have to act as in betweens. The public may call direct and leave their names and phone numbers and if any one abuses the system Noah's arc will know who the culprit is. Then, they will pass on the information to the police who will proceed against the irresponsible person. just like in the case of people, time is of the essence when treating injured animals and every second counts.

edwin formosa

Jul 10th 2009, 16:52

Anki jien nghid prosit lil kull min hu nvolut ,bil patt pero, li dan l-impenn ghal hajjet l-annimali ma jkunx f' 'kuntrast maz-zelu ghal genocidju uman i.e. l-abort. Ipokresija bhal dik ma tinzillix u, f'dak il-kaz nirtira kull ma ghidt

Rachel Spiteri

Jul 10th 2009, 16:51

well done...

Charles Micallef

Jul 10th 2009, 16:51

It is such refreshing news to read something positive in favour of the animals and their loving carers!

g.c.Forte

Jul 10th 2009, 16:46

Welldone Minister George............How about a 247 emergency hospital for animals. I am not expecting one such as Mater Dei, but a decent type of a policlinic will do. Let start having one in the center of Malta and one in Gozo, then after one in the south and another one in the north. I am sure that we can afford these clinics for the animals ( especially the strays )that we love. We have to keep in mind that because our egoism, ( buildings every where, polution, cruelty, noises sellfishness ) that most of these animals are suffering.So,let say 2 to 3 million euro a year should be bugited for this porpose. I am looking forward to see the project of ta` Qali ready, and from now I say again prosit George. Keep up the good job.

Emmanuel Ebejer

Jul 10th 2009, 16:42

Well done, a positive step for sure. But how about a hotline to report abused animals!?

Vincent Galea

Jul 10th 2009, 16:29

In our generation of instant satisfaction, the art of gratitude is nearly lost........ but not for me and other animal lovers .Thanks everybody and a special thanks to you Minister George Pullicino.

A Azzopardi

Jul 10th 2009, 16:13

Bravo Dr Spiteri!

Anthony Grech

Jul 10th 2009, 15:53

Well done to everybody involved, NGOs, The Hon. Minister etc.
Now how about ambulances for humans. A Gozo General Hospital ambulance was to make a transfer trip at 7.30am, this was changed to 9.00 am than changed again to1.30pm. Now imagine, a less than 1 month old baby being transferred from Mater Dei Hospital to Gozo General Hospital at this hour in this heath and in an incubator. The heat in the Gozo Ferry garage is just unbearable for healthy grown ups. But the little human had to bear all this with a great danger for its life.
Gozo ambulances have no air condition. On arriving at Cirkewa the driver thanked God that ‘‘we made it in time otherwise we would had to wait for the next ferry’’. Are Gozo ambulances not equipped with a communication apparatus, so as to call the Ferry’s captain to wait a little?. ALL Ministerial Cars are equipped with such apparatus and it’s not the first time that the ferry had to wait for a Minister Car to arrive. You dear reader try to imagine all this. I do not have to imagine it, I know it happened and is still happening.

ACAUCHI (st pauls)

Jul 10th 2009, 15:46

Dea All,

I hope that Noah's Ark does not intend to home these animals by shipping them to some German laboratories. This is a way of creating space.

Dear Operators,

Please explain such allegations, because you cannot practise against cruelty if you let laboratories take these dogs and everybody knows what happens to them.

Adrian

Catharina in den Bosch

Jul 10th 2009, 15:38

Bravo !! Well done !! This is truly a very welcome improvement.

J. Borg

Jul 10th 2009, 15:34

What about the ambulances that were donated by foreign benefactors to St. Francis Foundation......but abusively held at Customs???

Pls ensure that there is a direct line that will be manned by the NGO not the Police HQ

By the time Peter tells Paul and Paul tells John the poor animal might be agonisingly dead, or the directions get confused!

Stefan Sammut

Jul 10th 2009, 15:33

Prosit and keep it up! Many people have been waiting for such serivce to happen!

n mifsud

Jul 10th 2009, 15:33

last week i received an email that the animal ambulance got a ticket for over speeding. is this right?? another thing is that last week someone rescued a dog from a cave in Gozo and when they took the dog to RSPCA in Gozo they put the dog down because there was no place for him. he was healthy and had no injuries. can someone pls take some action!!!!!

Tonio Farrugia

Jul 10th 2009, 15:30

I wonder whether Minister Pullicino was told about the incident (which was reported on Facebook) when two weeks ago Noah's Ark received a Speed Camera ticket because their Animal Ambulance was doing 69 kph in a 60 kph zone in Hal Far as it raced there from Mellieha to rescue an injured dog. The markings "ANIMAL AMBULANCE" which are very prominent on the speed camera photograph did not deter the Local Enforcement Agency from issuing a ticket!

M. Cilia

Jul 10th 2009, 15:26

@ Mr. Farrugia

The report says ¨FROM where it will be homed¨ meaning a home will be found for it with a family or individual who are animal lovers.

Cedric Busuttil

Jul 10th 2009, 15:25

Such news make me proud to be a Maltese Citizen. Very happy. Great!!

T. Pulis

Jul 10th 2009, 15:24

Thanks for this initiative. Keep it up!

Franco Farrugia

Jul 10th 2009, 15:16

Welll ..... this is indeed a step in the right direction. Now, we look forward to receiving positive reports regarding this service. Perhaps one tiny thing: the telephone number should be a direct one, a special one and not one that goes through to Police HQ.
One thing I am not sure about: 'Take it to the sanctuary where it will be homed.' Hmm.... but didn't we say that sanctuaries are full? So, where are these poor animals going to be homed? Are there vacancies in our sanctuaries all of a sudden?
Once again, congratulations to the individuals for this splendid and much-needed service. I wish them all every success.
NB Cab horses are still being driven in the scorching sun - perhaps Minister Pullicino will take a look at these poor animals.

t. borg

Jul 10th 2009, 15:12

this is the best news that i have read for quite a long time.