In reply to Jo Abel (August 6) and other comments made online by volunteers at the Funny Farm, I must state that I was truly appalled by the bad state of the dogs at the farm which were found during the Animal Welfare Department's last inspection, which was prompted by several complaints.

If the running of a business offering boarding kennels/livery stables and horse riding services are keeping all those concerned so very busy to the point that other dogs homed there were found in a state of neglect, then it is about time that the notion of a dog sanctuary NGO is no longer associated with Funny Farm.

A registered NGO must be transparent above all and if relying on public donations and other dedicated fund-raising activities these must be open to scrutiny by the Commissioner for NGOs. There is no excuse that the animals in its care cannot be sustained or are neglected because of lack of funding, government or otherwise.

Those animal welfare NGOs that were found up to standard received financial assistance amounting to over €170,000 for approved capital expenditure projects. Funny Farm could have benefited but the requirements were not fulfilled.

Ms Abel took us to task because two out of the five dogs that were removed from the score or so found on Funny Farm, and after they were examined by a vet and found to be in a very pitful and far gone state of health, were put down.

This was the only decent action that could be taken. We have several photos that were taken during the inspection which could shock senseless anyone who sees them! The other three dogs are in very safe hands and are loved by their carers.

Promoting animal welfare is all about taking action to avoid unnecessary suffering to animals coming from anyone. No animal is ever destroyed simply because it "looks malnourished" as alleged by Ms Abel in her futile attempt to denigrate the dedicated Animal Welfare Department's staff in the exercise of their duty. We have received physical threats in our line of work and can surely handle any false negative publicity orchestration in the media by means of well-penned blogs and other timely correspondence!

Trying to whip up support for Funny Farm and tainting the AWD by depicting it as more interested in putting animals down indiscriminately is an attempt to shift away the public attention from Funny Farm. All the major animal welfare NGOs in Malta can vouch for our work.

I have a reputation for carrying out my work diligently and fairly and will not be intimidated by anyone, irrespective how thinly veiled the innuendos flung at me are. In due course the truth will prevail.

My reply to correspondence regarding Funny Farm will be a one-time instance to counter Ms Abel's most gratuitous half truths and the details of the findings of the inspection team will eventually be used in the appropriate circumstance and place. Our department's time is more valuable and the huge work load we have needs our full attention.

Now that Sue Arnett has specifically appointed Ms Abel in charge of dog health on Funny Farm I sincerely hope the fate of the rest of the dogs will be better if only for the dogs' sake!

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